Joshua William Robert Stark guilty of AOBH, trespassing for backpacker assault while in drug-induced psychosis

A heavy meth user assaulted two backpackers in the psychotic belief he was a secret agent working for a clandestine government organisation.

Heavy drug user Joshua Stark assaulted two backpackers in the psychotic belief he was a secret agent working for a clandestine government organisation.

A serial offender and drug addict assaulted two Japanese backpackers while consumed by a psychosis in which he thought he was a secret government agent.

Appearing from custody via video link, Joshua William Robert Stark, 33, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday to charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, break and enter and possession of a knife in a public place.

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Stark’s lawyer, Craig Ryan, told the court that his client was using methamphetamine heavily at the time of the offending, which a medical report found was contributing to a delusional psychosis in which Stark believed he was a secret agent acting for a clandestine government organisation.

Heavy drug user Joshua Stark assaulted two backpackers in the psychotic belief he was a secret agent working for a clandestine government organisation.

The court heard that while suffering from this delusion, Stark entered a backpackers’ hostel and approached one of the residents, a 23-year-old male Japanese backpacker working in Bundaberg as a fruit picker while on a working visa.

Stark approached the backpacker and asked him “if he was the oldest”, following which he came closer to Stark and asked him what he wanted.

At this point Stark punched the backpacker to the right side of the face, which a later medical examination found caused swelling and pain.

Another backpacker then came to his friend’s assistance, whom Stark asked where he was from, in response to which the man said he was also Japanese.

Stark then punched the man twice to the face, inflicting pain, swelling and a split lip, and causing him to fall to the ground.

While the victim was on the ground Stark kicked him to the face with force which caused him further pain, swelling and discomfort.

When police attended the scene in response to a triple-0 call they found Stark to be highly agitated, rambling and incoherent, leading them to suspect that he was under the influence of drugs.

In a separate incident, police responded to reports of Stark loitering inside the yard of a private address to find him carrying a hammer, jimmy bar, box cutter and a serrated knife.

A police report said Stark had used the hammer to smash the electrical meter box and the mains water line at the house, and during questioning Stark said he had the knives in order to cut the wires in the house.

The court heard Stark relapsed into heavy meth use when his relationship with his partner started to break down, and he has no recollection of any events that took place through the time of the offending.

The court heard that at the time of the offending Stark was on a suspended sentence and had an extensive criminal history with numerous drugs charges.

Mr Ryan told the court Stark relapsed into drug use when his relationship with his partner started to break down, and he has no recollection of any events that took place through the time of the offending.

Magistrate Edwina Rowan ordered Stark serve a head sentence of two years, with a parole release date of June 12, 2024.

“Gratuitous violence, whether as a result of drug-induced psychosis or not simply cannot be tolerated, particularly for visitors to our region, and indeed anybody,” Ms Rowan said.

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Stark was convicted of two counts of assaults occasioning bodily harm and one count each of enter dwelling and commit, failure to appear in accordance with undertaking, possession of a knife in a public place, trespass – unlawfully enter or remain in dwelling or yard and wilful damage.