A motorist in Brisbane, Australia, who was experiencing major road rage, was arrested for attacking a police officer and squeezing his testicles.

The incident occurred during Brisbane’s biggest annual fireworks event, RiverFire.

The Brisbane District Court was told retiree Sam Charles Spuchess assaulted a traffic officer who tried to prevent him crossing Brisbane’s Story Bridge during the annual RiverFestival’s fireworks display on August 30.

The court heard Spuchess, 63, assaulted the officer while traffic was blocked for almost two hours during the fireworks display, The Courier-Mail reports.

Prosecutor Sarah Dennis said Spuchess first began yelling at a traffic police officer and then grabbed his service-issued torch and tried to hit him with it.

She said Spuchess then grabbed the male officer’s testicles and squeezed them.

One reason for his frustration, which was detailed in a specialist medical report tendered in court, was that at the time of the attack Spuchess was being prevented from attending his wife’s birthday.

Police had blocked a section of the Story Bridge and Spuchess’s car was in a line of traffic trying to travel north from Kangaroo Point.

Before the event, Queensland police had made public their plans to close numerous roads and public walkways in Brisbane’s CBD, including the Story Bridge, during the RiverFestival’s fireworks from about 6pm to 8.30pm, she said.

Spuchess yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of serious assault.

Judge Deborah Richards, in sentencing Spuchess, said she accepted that at the time of offence he was suffering from a depressive disorder, and that he had a good work history and had only recently retired.

Judge Richards sentenced Spuchess to a 12-month prison term, but released him on immediate parole.