A man faced Byron Bay local court on Thursday charged with assaulting an authorised officer, resisting arrest, three counts of malicious damage and unlicensed driving, according to council’s manager of sustainable development, Wayne Bertram.
Mr Bertram said that earlier in the week a parking officer, ‘had reminded a male person in Byron Bay’s Main Beach car park that a ticket was required to be purchased whilst parking in the car park.’
‘The officer returned later to find that the male person had not purchased a ticket. He returned to his car and started to complete a ticket [fine] on his equipment.
‘Unfortunately, the male person observed this and became aggressive, grabbed the equipment and pushed the officer.
‘He also got into his car and rammed it into another parked car. The equipment was thrown on to the rocks and damaged. The police were called and arrested the person.’
‘This is a rare incident for our parking officers that they are faced with this level of aggression,’ he said.
‘While most people aren’t happy about getting a parking ticket, the majority accept them knowing that they have done the wrong thing, either intentionally or unintentionally.’
‘It can be easy to be caught out for time when visiting Byron Bay’, however, Mr Bertram urged everyone to check the roads signs for time limits and costs, before leaving the area.
‘Assaulting a parking officer who was simply doing their job is not the answer.
‘Our staff are regular people who don’t deserve this sort of treatment,’ Mr Bertram said.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
