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Teen party DJ fined

Tyron Butson

Thursday, April 3, 2008

© The Cairns Post

 

THE DJ at a notorious drunken teen party hid sound equipment from the police and incited revellers to pelt officers with bottles and cans.

Stewart John Platte, 18, was yesterday fined $300 for obstructing police at the boozy Vico St 16th birthday party where more than 500 youths vented their anger on police and council officers when they came to shut it down.

Police prosecutor Sgt Simon Bright told Cairns Magistrates' Court police had gone to the party in Gordonvale about 5pm on February 22 following neighbours' complaints about noise.

They returned about 11pm with two council officers and attempted to seize the stereo equipment.

But Platte refused to hand over his equipment and interfered with their search.

Sgt Bright said the DJ then incited the crowd to hurl bottles at the police, forcing them off the property briefly.

Platte's defence told the court that he had been concerned about handing some of the equipment over to the  police because it was hired.

He was later charged with obstructing police when he went to the police station to pick up the confiscated equipment.

Platte told The Cairns Post, after his court case yesterday, that he had been concerned about the hired equipment.

"I think it was all pretty unfair," he said.

"We had asked around all of the neighbourhood and told everyone that there was
going to be a party on and asked them if they would have a problem."

But police said they had received numerous complaints about loud music and noise coming from the party.

Magistrate John Hodgins said in court that the apprentice fitter and turner turned DJ’s actions were irresponsible.

"How you could hope to control a party of 500 people escapes me," he said.

No conviction was recorded.

 


Not on: “I think it was all pretty unfair,” party DJ Stewart Platte said yesterday, after he was fined $300.

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