In Walcha Court on Friday, July 20, Magistrate Michael Holmes said the behaviour of 23-year-old Steven Quinlan while on public transport last month was unacceptable.

At 10.59am on June 14 Quinlan, who was born in Walcha but raised in Armidale where he still lives, boarded the NSW TrainLink service to Armidale at Wyong station and when the train departed Kootingal Station at 3.45pm, his behaviour became erratic.

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Quinlan began speaking to others on the train asking them to join him against the “train people”. He then began swearing and making offensive gestures while leaning over seats into people’s personal space and walking up and down the aisles. When he was asked by train staff to take his seat, he abused them and asked to see the “boss” and “financial controller”.

Quinlan then entered the toilet in Car B and bashed on the walls while yelling and screaming before damaging the toilet lid. He then continued to scream and swear while walking up and down the aisles – accusing staff of being ‘policy abiders’.

Train staff moved passengers and isolated Quinlan in the vestibule area between the first two carriages of the train before calling police at 4.28pm asking them to meet the train at Walcha Road Station.

At 4.45pm police boarded the train at Walcha Road and saw Quinlan pacing in the vestibule area. They say they could immediately smell intoxicating liquor on him. Quinlan was told he was under arrest and following a struggle with police he was physically pulled from the train and escorted to a police car while he continued his tirade of abuse in front of shocked onlookers.

Back at the station while his backpack was searched Quinlan was asked if it contained drugs to which he replied “marijuana”. Police then found a resealable plastic bag containing cannabis in the main section of his backpack.

In Walcha Local Court last week Quinlan pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and destroying property.

Magistrate Holmes fined Quinlan a total of $750, ordered him to pay $200 in damages and placed him on a good behaviour bond with conditions for 18 months. 

His bond conditions mean Quinlan is to report to the Armidale Probation and Parole office every five days; undergo counselling for drug and alcohol addiction and anger management and; obtain job training with the aim to find full-time employment.

A former Farrer Agricultural High School student, Quinlan is currently a freelance artist whose last engagement was a fortnight ago in Sydney where he performed two smoking ceremonies.

“If you breach this bond you are warned that I can revoke it and I will take action in relation to your behaviour,” Mr Holmes said.

“You need to do something about your drinking, your behaviour was appalling. These are all serious offences, and people need to be able to travel on a train without enduring behaviour like that. This poor behaviour is why many people don’t take public transport. Generally speaking the rail service in this area is first class and we are very lucky to have it – don't spoil it.”