Cayle Sean Macdonald, 23, from Rockhampton, pleaded guilty to assault, and to wilful damage of police property on Monday. 

He was ordered to pay compensation of almost $4000 to victims, including Sergeant Dan Baker and Post Office Hotel publican Chris Doyle, and to the Queensland Police Service for damage to a police vehicle. 

Macdonald was placed under a 12-month supervision order. 

Civilian prosecutor Bimal Raut said Macdonald was involved in disorderly behaviour at the Post Office Hotel on November 5 last year, and two people were bitten when trying to move him from the area. 

Macdonald damaged the police van he was restrained in, Mr Raut said. 

The defendant’s solicitor, Andrew McGinness, from South East Queensland based McGinness & Associates Lawyers, said Macdonald visited the hotel with fellow station hands after 10 months mustering at a Northern Territory station. 

A fight erupted between his workmates and employees from a local station, Mr McGinness said.  Macdonald scuffled with a woman when a police officer grabbed him from behind and applied pressure to his neck and chest. 

“The biting occurred to try and relieve pressure on the arm,” Mr McGinness said. 

“There was no suggestion he [Macdonald] was aware he was a police officer.

“At that point of time he was arrested, taken to the police vehicle ... he looked inside and saw a couple of detained workmates in the vehicle.

“He felt aggrieved no person from the other station were arrested by police.” 

That was when Macdonald damaged the inside to the vehicle. 

Mr McGinness said his client tested negative to any diseases within a month of the incident to decrease concern among bitten victims. 

His client also offered blank cheques in compensation to the victims, but Magistrate Rod Madsen was unwilling to take them. 

“One must make sure the public understands Mr Macdonald is not buying his way out of a sentence,” the magistrate said.