Drunken men terrorise store owner
A BUNDABERG tattoo parlour owner had a terrifying interruption to his work when two men entered his shop and began threatening him, a court was told.
Nate Anthony Rowell, 31, of Svensson Heights and another man entered the Bourbong St tattoo shop on January 29 and terrorised the owner, spitting on his floor and putting a hole in the wall.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Hayley Glover said the men entered the store holding a cask of wine and were clearly drunk.
"The defendant was walking around spitting on the ground and on his own hands," Snr Const Glover told Bundaberg Magistrates Court.
The prosecutor said Rowell then picked up a sharp pencil and began wielding it like a knife while his co-offender kicked a hole through the wall.
"He raised the pencil and directed it towards the complainant's head just near his face," Snr Const Glover said.
"The complainant said he was very fearful and thought he was going to be stabbed on several occasions."
When the victim went to phone police, Rowell's co-offender told him: "Go ahead and call your back-up, get your f***ing crew up here. They have been killing my family and we are ready to die. The war has started.
"We have guns and bombs and explosives and don't think we won't f***ing use them."
Rowell yesterday pleaded guilty to six charges including wilful damage and deprivation of liberty.
His lawyer said there was no actual violence against the store owner and that Rowell was drunk at the time.
Rowell was sentenced to six months jail, with parole eligibility set for July 23.
