$350 fine for man who asked to be arrested

AFTER yelling at police "arrest me, I started it" after a fight broke out at the Commercial Hotel Kingaroy on October 27, Jeffery Ronald Cullen got exactly what he asked for.

The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to public nuisance and obstructing a police officer at the Kingaroy Magistrates Court yesterday.

Police Prosecutor Senior Sergeant Wayne Bushell told the court Cullen was arrested after he approached police trying to calm the situation.

"There were a number of people involved in a fight outside the Commercial Hotel, Kingaroy when police arrived," he said.

"The police were trying to arrest another male person when the defendant approached them.

"He yelled at them 'arrest me I started it'."

Snr Sgt Bushell said Cullen continued to be a hindrance in the process of arresting another man, believed to his friend.

"Police safety was compromised," he said.

"The defendant was able to break hold from the officers who had restrained him and marched towards the police arresting the other man."

Magistrate Mark Bucknall said police had a hard enough time dealing with people who have committed an offence and said they were not helped by people like Cullen.

Cullen was fined $350 for both offences and no conviction was recorded.