Prankster's bubbles trouble

Laurel-Lee Roderick

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

A DRUNKEN prank forced a Cairns waterslide park to close for a day when two teenagers added washing detergent to the swimming pools.

Forde Thomas Lamberth, 18, was yesterday fined $650 and ordered to pay $1450 compensation for the damage caused when he and a mate sneaked into Sugarworld Waterslides at Edmonton late at night.

Police prosecutor Samantha Montague told Cairns Magistrates’ Court the pair added detergent to the swimming pools, jammed outdoor tables into waterslides and left a trail of broken glass after sneaking into the park on February 16.

Sugarworld management lost an estimated $3300 in Sunday takings when they were forced to close the park for a day during the clean-up, which cost $1200.

Magistrate Robert Spencer told Lamberth it was "stupid, immature, pointless and … totally irresponsible behaviour".

The Mission Beach teen pleaded guilty yesterday to wilful damage and trespass.

Constable Montague said sec-urity staff detained Lamberth and another man for trespassing about 11pm.

The security officer heard glass smashing near the pools and found the two offenders covered in soap suds from detergent they added to the pools to make the water foam up.

Broken alcohol bottles were littered around the pool area.

Constable Montague tendered quotes that put the repairs and pool-cleaning bill at $1267.

Defence solicitor Michael Miller said the road worker was now attending counselling for "binge drinking".

In a letter tendered to the court, Lamberth suggested binge drinking was "a culture at my age".

Mr Spencer said that was a worrying outlook.

"Binge drinking should be wiped out as quickly as it has come to be a culture," he said.

"I do not accept it is justification for behaviour like this."

He said Lamberth’s actions had a "devastating impact" on the business owners and the children and families turned away from the park.

The second man charged over the incident will appear in court on June 6.

<strong>Cleaned up: </strong>Forde Thomas Lamberth, 18, was fined $650 after a drunken prank, which cost Sugarworld Waterslides thousands of dollars.

Cleaned up: Forde Thomas Lamberth, 18, was fined $650 after a drunken prank, which cost Sugarworld Waterslides thousands of dollars.

<strong>Footing the bill:</strong> Sugarworld Waterslides at Edmonton, which lost an estimated $3300 in takings when it was forced to close park for a day after a teen's drunken prank.

Footing the bill: Sugarworld Waterslides at Edmonton, which lost an estimated $3300 in takings when it was forced to close park for a day after a teen's drunken prank.

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