Blade Owen Hoffman charged with 42 offences in ‘terrifying’ spree

A serial criminal went on a 12-month crime spree that included dangerously tailgating another vehicle before pointing a shortened firearm at the occupants and trying to smuggle contraband into jail in his buttocks.

A man responsible for a year-long spree of violent, drug-addled offences from burgling his step-mother’s jewellery to evading police in his friend’s stolen car faced court with a whopping 42 charges.

A serial criminal has been jailed for a 12-month crime spree that included dangerously tailgating another driver before pointing a shortened firearm at them and trying to smuggle contraband into jail in his buttocks.

Drug dealer Blade Owen Hoffman pleaded guilty to myriad offences across Mackay between May 2021 and May 2022, totalling 42 charges.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard the dangerous driving incident happened on May 19, 2022, days before his arrest.

“As I’m sure you can imagine, that would be terrifying,” Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said.

The court heard Hoffman tailgated another driver before pulling up at the lights and pointing a shortened firearm at the occupants of the vehicle.

Blade Owen Hoffman.

“And after that, you crossed double white lines to overtake him through a red light,” Ms Hartigan said.

The court heard Hoffman also dangerously drove on the wrong side of the road and evading police on December 30, 2021, in a car stolen from a friend which he later admitted he sold without permission.

Ms Hartigan said one of his “most serious offences” was on May 9, 2022 when Hoffman burgled his stepmother’s house for jewellery and her Holden Commodore, which he then used to steal wheels from cars parked at Mackay Airport.

“Ultimately when police caught up with you on May 21, 2022, you were found to be in possession of 1.106g meth, 141g of cannabis, scales, a pipe, a needle (and) $10,250.”

Blade Owen Hoffman.

The court heard even after his arrest Hoffman tried to smuggle tobacco and syringes between his buttocks to a friend in a correctional facility.

Ms Hartigan said Hoffman’s guilty plea had saved the court a great deal of time and money - he had initially entered not guilty pleas to a number of charges.

“Your sentence is very complicated because there’s so much offending,” Ms Hartigan said.

“There are a number of charges, and if you’d gone to trial it would have taken a considerable time to hear (them).”

Hoffman has been on remand since his arrest, spending 474 days in presentence custody.

The court heard he had a lengthy history with drugs and struggled with addiction, but was supported by his grandmother who was in the gallery.

Ms Hartigan accepted Hoffman was “still very young” with a capability for rehabilitation.

“Keeping you in the community is preferable (as) it does loom very large here that you’ve been in jail for so long,” Ms Hartigan said.

“And hopefully that’s been time to reflect.”

Hoffman was jailed for 18 months with immediate parole and fined $1000.

Convictions were recorded and the contraband forfeited.