12:00a.m. 21st August 2008

Joshua Rhys Morley leaves Maroochydore District Court.

After he urinated on a Caloundra house and then bashed the male members of the family who came out to investigate, what do you think an 18-year-old man with dreams of joining the armed forces did next?

The budding young Rambo repeatedly threatened to kill his victims – including making a throat-slitting gesture – assaulted them in company, and abused and threatened police from the back of a patrol car.

One of the house’s occupants was knocked to the ground by the offender and attacked by a group of men.

But thanks to the leniency of the courts, Joshua Rhys Morley, of Mountain Creek, will be eligible to apply for military service.

Judge Keith Dodds fined him $1600 in Maroochydore District Court yesterday but did not record a conviction.

Having a criminal record would have barred Mr Morley, who pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing bodily harm in company, from his chosen career path.

The statement of facts before the court detailed how Mr Morley went on a rampage against 48-year-old Robert Slatter and his sons Brett, 20, and Luke, 18, on November 11 about 10pm.

Brett had gone outside to investigate noises when he found Mr Morley and another man relieving themselves on the family’s house.

After he asked them to leave, they swore at him and he was struck in the back of the head.

“He turned around and the offender pushed his head from behind into the side of the house,” the statement said.

With a bleeding head, the young victim grabbed his attacker’s arm and saw him off the property. His father and brother came out and a group of males then came towards them.

All three were threatened by the offender and the father was punched in the mouth.

When police were called, Mr Morley told the father several times he was dead before shoulder charging him and knocking him to the ground. Mr Slatter was then attacked by the group of men and punched in the head.

His son Luke was also punched in the eye by one of the men.

“Brett tackled the offender, causing him to land on Luke and the offender then bit him on the right side of the chest,” the statement said.

The father was forced to punch Mr Morley twice in the head before he let go of Luke’s skin.

After his sentencing, Mr Morley told the media he was sorry and wished the events had never happened.

Mr Morley’s legal counsel, Damon Locantro, said the fine and no conviction was “a very fair outcome”.

“There were also a number of mitigating features that are taken into account when a court decides whether there should be a conviction,” Mr Locantro said.

“It was a spontaneous, isolated incident with no real serious injuries and the young gentleman has taken positive steps in his life, such that it’s never going to happen again.”