Concreter accused of $6000 restaurant theft denied bail

A Cairns concreter charged over the alleged theft of $6000 from a Rockhampton Korean barbecue restaurant has been refused bail, after a court heard he tried to return part of the money.

Sorren Earle Jensen appeared in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on September 30, where he applied for bail after being charged with stealing, entering premises and committing an indictable offence, and common assault. The target of the theft was Moija Korean BBQ, in the Stockland Rockhampton complex.

Police prosecutor Tiffany Moras told the court the bulk of Jensen's alleged offending occurred in Cairns, before the more serious alleged offences in Rockhampton.

"While the facts show that he did try and return some, that behaviour is inexcusable," she said.

The court heard that Jensen assaulted a person who tried to stop him leaving the restaurant, punching him repeatedly in the head. The incident came after police had been called to speak to him about the earlier theft. Magistrate Peter Kuskie said the allegation suggested the common assault charge could in fact be assault occasioning bodily harm.

Moras also told the court Jensen failed to appear in a Cairns court on September 28 over unrelated charges.

"So not only is he failing to appear, he's committing further offences along the way, which seems to be getting more and more serious," she said.

Defence lawyer Sean Gibbs told the court Jensen had previously been bailed to a Yorkeys Knob address and ran a concreting business. He said his client had mental health issues and a methamphetamine addiction, but had stayed out of trouble for five years before the current allegations. Gibbs said Jensen claimed he was travelling to Brisbane when the offences at the restaurant occurred.

Kuskie denied bail and remanded Jensen in custody. The charges were adjourned to October 22.

Jonathan Jackson, 6th October, 2026