Nine times savage remarks were made in South Australian courtrooms
From a “bad role model” blasted for bringing her child to court to an enraged criminal saying a magistrate thought his “s**t didn’t stink”, brutal sledges bring disorder to the courts.
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Running a criminal court is no easy task, so it’s not surprising magistrates and judges occasionally get fed up with defendants for a number of reasons.
From being scolded for dressing inappropriately to copping a spray for being a drug dealing ‘parasite’, these court goers probably weren’t expecting the lashings awaiting them. And sometimes, those facing charges will snap back.
The Advertiser has compiled a list of the defendants and magistrates who were in the firing line for savage remarks in South Australian court-rooms.
Jacinta Stannard - blasted for being a bad role model
A thief who stole cosmetics with her son present has been told by a magistrate she is an example of what not to do as a parent.
Jacinta Charlotte Stannard, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, as her young son watched from the front row.
“Why did you bring your son along to watch you get prosecuted for theft?” Magistrate Brett Dixon asked.
“You think this is being a good role model for him?”
Stannard replied that she hopes he learns from her mistakes.
“I think it’s totally inappropriate to bring your children along to court with you,” Mr Dixon said.
“You should be an example for him, not an example of what not to do.”
A police prosecutor told the court a Drakes supermarket employee saw Stannard put various cosmetics, valued at $45 into her bag and didn’t pay for them.
After hearing Stannard’s criminal history, Mr Dixon said he would give Stannard a chance to seek legal advice and to not bring her son to court with her on the next occasion.
“Despite your appalling behaviour in being his tutor in how to steal,” he said.
At a later court appearance, Stannard was convicted and sentenced to a six-month good behaviour bond.
Claire Henderson – copped a spray for being a ‘parasite’
A woman who copped a spray from a magistrate for treating home detention like a “party room” was dealing to pay off her own drug debt, a court has heard.
Claire Louise Henderson, 27, was slammed by Magistrate Susan O’Connor in May 2021 when she asked to move out of her father’s home and into her own home, but had recently failed a Department of Corrections drug test.
“She’s into party drugs, she uses them every day and she’s supposed to be on home detention,” Ms O’Connor said.
“She’s treating it like a party room.
“She’s up to her eyeballs in criminal activity and she is perilously close to the women’s prison.”
Ms O’Connor said Henderson was put into custody for three weeks with a “raging drug habit”.
“She was psychotic (because) she used so much drugs,” she said.
“Think about the community sitting behind me asking what are you doing in criminal courts to allow these people who do so much harm due to the fact the whole drug trafficking trade means that you’re a parasite and preying on the misfortunes of other people.
“Your only interest in life is getting cheap money, cheap drugs and a cheap fix.”
The Christies Beach woman pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking and two counts of drug trafficking.
The Adelaide District Court heard police raided Henderson’s South Plympton home on February 5, 2021.
They found 616g of GHB, also known as fantasy – valued between $1232 and $4312 – and 55.6g of a crystal substance, which contained 44.6g of pure methamphetamine.
Police also found a further 25g of fantasy, valued between $150 and $525, digital scales, $1500, plastic resealable bags and tick lists.
Henderson will be sentenced next month.
Jazmine Edwards – scolded for dressing for the beach
A magistrate told a woman “it’s not the beach” and she should wear something “more appropriate”, after she appeared in court wearing a singlet top, shorts and thongs.
Jazmine Ann May Edwards, 25, fronted the Adelaide Magistrates Court in January last year, charged with driving with a combination of drugs in body fluid and driving unauthorised.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Magistrate Jayne Basheer commented on the way Ms Edwards had dressed for court.
“Ms Edwards, I don’t want to sound incredibly old-fashioned, but the way you’re dressed today is not the proper way to appear in court,” she said.
“It’s not the beach.
“So next time please wear something more appropriate … I don’t mean to be rude but it is a formal court proceeding.”
Ms Edwards responded by saying: “It’s 35 degrees outside”.
Edwards took Ms Basheer’s advice and dressed in a long-sleeved black top and long dark pants with sneakers for another court appearance in October.
She pleaded guilty to getting behind the wheel with a combination of drugs in her system and driving while unauthorised.
Edwards was convicted and fined $1100 and disqualified from driving for three years.
Raffaele Marrone – called out for a crafty excuse
A man who was running an elaborate drug operation from his family home in Penfield Gardens had an excuse for missing court but a judge was quick to call him out.
Raffaele Daniel Marrone, 43, was due to face sentencing submissions in the District Court in June but his lawyer told the court he had tested positive for Covid-19.
Judge Rauf Soulio was not impressed.
“I make the anecdotal observation that whilst science hasn’t yet reached its conclusion, the use of methamphetamine seems to cause Covid,” he said.
“Those who don’t use methamphetamine don’t have Covid symptoms, turn up for testing and turn up for court.
“Those who relapse back into use of methamphetamine often seem to develop Covid like symptoms when drug tests are due or court is due.”
The court heard police searched the Marrone’s Penfield Gardens home on June 4, 2020 and found 7.3g of methamphetamine hidden in the bedhead of the bedroom and in palm trees in the garden, as well as $11,000 in cash.
The Virginia man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking and money laundering.
He will face court again in August.
Sanja Parenta – reminded to dress modestly
A drug user was told by a magistrate to dress more modestly for her next court appearance.
Dressed in a black mini skirt, a low-cut top and high heels, Sanja Parenta, 38, appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court in November 2020 to change her bail address.
“Can I just say this to you Ms Parenta? Sometimes it’s not obvious to people and they don’t have information about what’s appropriate to wear in court,” Magistrate Jayanthi Pandya said.
“A little bit of modesty really is more appropriate.”
A prosecutor told the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday police stopped a car where Parenta was seated in the back in June, 2018.
“A search of her bag located an ice pipe,” the prosecutor said.
Police attended Parenta’s address and searched her room in May last year.
“They located some drug material – being a small amount of cannabis, a small amount of GHB – 10ml,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard Parenta also produced multiple positive drug tests.
Magistrate Michelle Sutcliffe sentenced Parenta to a 12-month, $500 good behaviour bond and fined her $560.
Kenneth McCann – 74-year-old slammed for needing to ‘grow up’
An elderly hoon was told to “grow up” by a magistrate after he sideswiped a driver and then pretended to be a police officer to avoid responsibility.
Kenneth William McCann, 74, narrowly avoided jail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last July, after he flashed a fake police badge during an intense road rage incident.
The court heard McCann was driving his Mercedes on Morphett Rd, Morphettville on November 16, 2019.
The court heard McCann was tailgating the other driver unnecessarily.
“Your conduct was bewildering … at some point you were driving next to the other driver and side-swiped him,” Magistrate John Wells said.
“This pushed the car out of his lane into a turning lane.”
The court heard the other driver chased McCann until he pulled over.
“During that exchange you pulled out a badge which said ‘special police’ on it,” Mr Wells said.
“Soon after you rang the other driver, you said ‘I’m a sergeant and one of my officers has hit your car, just get a quote and I’ll take care of it’.
“The other driver recognised your voice and said ‘is this Ken?’ and you said ‘no, it’s not me’.”
McCann, of Glandore, pleaded guilty to representing a police officer and dangerous driving.
Mr Wells had some stern words for him.
“The footage I have seen shows your driving was dangerous and deplorable,” he said.
“I am more than 20 years younger than you, it feels odd for me to say this to you but you need to grow up.”
Mr Wells sentenced McCann to two months and three weeks jail.
It was suspended on a two-year good-behaviour bond for $500.
“Let’s never meet again inside a courtroom,” Mr Wells said.
Ashleigh Crease – scolded for dressing ‘entirely inappropriately’
A Seaton woman’s court clothing choice drew the ire of a magistrate who lashed her revealing outfit, calling it “entirely inappropriate”.
Ashleigh Nicole Crease, 31, faced Port Adelaide Magistrates Court in March on several charges including being involved in a crash while under the influence of meth and with a child under 16 in the vehicle.
But it was Crease’s midriff baring crop top, gym tights and thongs that caught the eye of Magistrate Jayanthi Pandya during what would have otherwise been a routine appearance.
Ms Pandya asked Crease to stand up before delivering a lashing over her selected outfit.
“Ms Crease you might not know what’s appropriate to wear to court, but what you’re wearing is entirely inappropriate,” Ms Pandya said.
“Remember, this is a court hearing where you are facing criminal charges.
“On the next occasion, give some thought as to what you wear, particularly try to show more modesty.”
At another hearing, Crease was convicted of all offences, fined $3200 and disqualified from driving for three years.
And on the other side of the coin, these defendants lashed out at magistrates when things didn’t go their way.
Darren Milera
Darren Adrian Milera, 50, became enraged in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in January 2021 when a magistrate told him his matter would need to be adjourned.
Self represented, Mr Milera said a lawyer had seen him while he had been in custody but could not remember their name.
Magistrate Kym Millard told Milera no lawyer had turned up for him and he would need to adjourn the matter for two weeks.
Mr Milera then launched into an expletive-laden spray.
“Two weeks? why not make it f***ing two years mate,” Milera screamed.
“F*** you, you white c***.”
The video link was quickly disconnected.
Milera, of Adelaide, pleaded guilty in November to assault and refusing name and address and was sentenced to three months jail.
Robert Hook
A man hurled a tirade of abuse after being told he would not be released from jail in time to marry his fiancée.
Robert William Hook, 38, called Magistrate Ben Sale an “a**hole,” before saying the magistrate thought his “s**t didn’t stink.”
The Kilburn man was enraged to hear he wouldn’t be released from jail after pleading guilty to multiple disorderly behaviour charges, which involved abusing public trustee employees and church members.
A police prosecutor told the court in November 2020 that Hook had threatened a team leader at a Victoria Square public trustee office.
The court heard Hook also illegally drove off in someone’s car on April 11, last year, saying he would keep the car until they paid him a $50 drug debt.
Hook’s lawyer Justin Wickens told the court Hook was on drugs when he also hurled abuse at Adelaide church members.
Magistrate Sale said he felt uncomfortable sentencing Hook without seeing a psychiatrist report first.
“I’ve got my missus to marry in three weeks, man,” Hook said bawling.
Mr Sale told Hook he wouldn’t be released from jail within that time.
Hook then became enraged.
“I’m trying to make a change and you won’t even give me a chance to make a f------ change,” he said
Hook continued his tirade of abuse.
“You’re being an a**hole, Your Honour,” he said.
“You think your s*** don’t stink. You’re full of s***, Your Honour.”
Mr Sale said he would adjourn the matter and mute Hook on the next occasion.
“I’m not coming back to court,” Hook screamed.
At a later court hearing, Hook was convicted of the offences and after taking into account the time spent in custody, he was discharged without further penalty.
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