Read about some of Mackay and Whitsunday’s badly behaved parents of 2023
From serious drug crimes, to serious assault to causing fatal or serious crashes, meet the Mackay and Whitsunday parents whose bad behaviour landed them in court in 2023.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
From serious drug crimes, to serious assault to causing fatal or serious crashes, meet the Mackay and Whitsunday parents whose bad behaviour landed them in court in 2023.
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Rozlyn Grace Walker
A mother of three found guilty of causing a horrific highway crash that claimed the life of health hero Tam Dixon Frewin was accused of fabricating claims another vehicle was involved in the fatal collision.
But the 35 year old did not have to spend any time in jail for the terrible incident on February 2, 2022.
Rozlyn Grace Walker was charged with driving without due care and attention causing death over the crash on the Peak Downs Highway at Strathfield.
She had been behind the wheel of a Silver Prado when it veered into the ongoing lane on the Peak Downs Highway, slamming into a white Honda that had nowhere to go.
Walker pleaded not guilty and even went to far as to assign blame to a “completely innocent” driver, whose vehicle had been captured at the scene in police body worn footage.
But she was found guilty and jailed for six months with immediate parole because of the nature of the offending and a conviction was recorded. She was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
FULL STORY HERE
Jaiden Douglas Hargrave
A Mackay father turned prisoner armed himself with a soft drink can and rocks and threatened guards during the Rockhampton prison riots that caused $1.2m in damage to the facility.
Jaiden Douglas Hargrave, who was an inmate at Capricornia Correctional centre, was “not an instigator or leader of the riot”, but he was a willing participant.
It is considered one of the biggest riot incidents in the prison’s history involving more than 120 inmates, with more than 60 charged.
It began about 9am on October 21, 2021 when maximum-security inmates were told to return to their cells as the staff were having a union meeting.
Mackay District Court heard Hargrave was “broken out of (his) cell or unit by persons who are unknown by unknown means” and the following was a 16-hour riot.
The court heard the riot had been described as “tumultuous, dangerous” and causing significant damage totalling about $1.2m.
Hargrave, 29, pleaded guilty to riot or mutiny, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years jail.
He was jailed for 15 months with immediate release. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Chloe Victoria Smith
She traded luxury cars and designer tastes for matching faded prison greens after this glamorous beauty salon owner began helping out her boyfriend’s successful meth trafficking business.
Beautiful, blonde, newly 30 and a sought-after lash technician, Chloe Victoria Smith will spend eight months of her next decade in jail and away from her three children.
It is the reality of her choices that came back to bite her when she was arrested in March 2020 as part of operation Romeo Suitcase, which had been targeting her then boyfriend and father of her youngest child Reece Luscombe.
The past four years have been a flurry of bad boys and brand names and included meeting an inmate over the phone she later told her 16.6k TikTok fans was her “soulmate”.
Smith had played an active role in Luscombe’s meth trafficking; police phone taps and message intercepts captured her as an “enthusiastic assister” in the venture between 2019 and 2020 as she enjoyed the fruits of the profits made, which they expected to total up to $60,000.
She pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including drug trafficking and supply and aggravated drug possession and was jailed for three years to serve eight months.
FULL STORY HERE
Nishanthi Maree Csont
A Mackay mum of three was told her honest admissions to police were her saving grace after she stashed drugs inside of a washing machine.
Nishanthi Maree Csont was found with 2.499g of methamphetamine in a bag during a police stop on March 11, 2021.
The next day she admitted the bag was hers.
Mackay Supreme Court heard the 34 year old was placed on a good behaviour order only to then breach it weeks later on May 4.
A search warrant of Csont’s then partner’s home in Rural View revealed another bag hidden inside his washer.
It contained empty clip seal bags, 1.79g of meth, and 5.957g of GBL – a precursor to GHB.
Csont admitted the bag was hers and then spent three days in police custody.
Csont pleaded guilty to possessing a banned substance, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing dangerous drugs exceeding two grams, and was jailed for 15 months with immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Jamie Errol Pons
A serial Mackay offender was granted immediate parole over a bizarre and frightening burglary just months after he was released on parole.
Jamie Errol Pons crept into a South Mackay home in the early hours of May 7, 2021 where he had been drinking and taking drugs with others the night before.
Mackay District Court heard he had left when he was told but returned about 5am entering through an open door planning to steal valuables.
He gathered up a small safe, some clothes, about $1000 cash and a blue dirt bike when the sister of the occupant knocked on the front door.
“It is … somewhat quite bizarre … while you were executing this theft and you let her in,” Judge Michael Burnett said.
This sparked a “violent altercation” where the pair wrestled with Pons managing to push her away and flee the scene on the dirt bike, the court heard.
Pons, a father of two, pleaded guilty to burglary in the night with violence and unlawful use of a motor vehicle on May 7, 2022 at South Mackay.
He spent 10 months in custody in remand for the burglary. Pons was jailed for two years and eight months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Adam Stuart Walpole
A Pioneer Valley father of two was ripping a 10m burnout while more than 5.5 times the legal alcohol limit before he lost control of his Holden Commodore and smashed into two parked cars.
Bowen Basin mine worker Adam Stuart Walpole, 43, then fled the Alexander St, Mirani scene on two flat tyres and tried to hide his damaged vehicle in his backyard, two km away.
Unfortunately for him an off duty cop saw the whole thing and police came knocking, Mackay Magistrates Court heard.
Walpole told police he had been drinking beer all day and prosecutor Luay Allawy said an analysis revealed he had a 0.288 blood alcohol reading.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving while affected by an intoxicating substance and failing to remain at the scene of a crash and give information on March 7, 2023.
Walpole was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for nine months. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Michael Aaron Altmann, Kristie Altmann
Collinsville family members were jailed over an Australia Day pub attack after the duo ganged up on a punter over a yellow bucket hat and an insult about teeth.
Now they have been banned from the venue in a regional mining town where there are only two pubs.
The victim had been drinking in the deck area at the Collinsville Workers Club on January 26, 2023.
He had won a prize pack earlier that day that included a yellow bucket hat, which he wore and which Kristie Altmann and her group of friends kept stealing from his head.
This prompted an argument and Altmann’s husband Michael Aaron Altmann joined in calling the victim a “f--king joke”, to which he responded: “I’ve got more jokes than you do teeth.”
This sparked a violent altercation and as the victim tried to get away the Altmanns “repeatedly threw punches” at his head.
The parents pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrates Court to assault causing bodily harm in company, and Michael Altmann pleaded guilty to a further charge of being a public nuisance over a fight after he was evicted from the pub.
They were each jailed for nine months, wholly suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay $500 compensation within 30 days to the victim.
FULL STORY HERE
Rachel Palmer
A meth-dealing mum of four has avoided spending any time behind bars after she supplied the highly addictive drug in multiple street-level deals.
Mackay woman Rachel Palmer “acted as an intermediary” when she provided methamphetamines five times over about two and a half weeks in October 2022.
Mackay District Court heard her offending came to light when police executed a search warrant and uncovered information on her phone.
The amounts included two points of meth on three occasions, three points and an unknown amount for between $140 and $210.
The court heard Palmer only received $40 payment for her role in two of the sales.
When she was arrested she was also busted possessing 0.176g of pure meth over eight separate bags and had spent no time in custody on remand.
Palmer pleaded guilty to seven charges including five counts of supplying dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.
Palmer was jailed for 12 months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Tanaya Mason
A meth-addicted mother of six tried telling police the red-haired woman who resembled her captured in CCTV footage stealing $15,000 worth of bikes was a different woman with red hair.
Officers had just found two of the five stolen bikes after raiding the Mackay home where Tanaya Mason resided.
Her explanation for that was the bikes had “turned up at her home” overnight, Mackay Magistrates Court heard.
Prosecutor Lennon Stathoulis said on March 8, 2023 offenders had smashed into Mackay Cycles at Paget stealing five bikes worth $15,000 in total.
The offending was captured on CCTV, which showed a red-haired woman in the store involved in the break and enter.
The court heard police showed the footage to Mason, who claimed it was someone else.
Mason, 28, was arrested and pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including enter premises and commit indictable offence.
Mason was jailed for 12 months, with the 87 days declared as time already served. She will be able to apply for parole on July 9, 2023.
FULL STORY HERE
Brian Illington Trent Tapim
A father known for escaping a Rockhampton jail with a wheelie bin has been released on parole only to set fire to an abandoned car.
Mackay District Court heard police had extinguished flames in a stolen car along the Bruce Highway near Alligator Creek, south of Mackay, about 4am on April 4, 2021.
Brian Illington Trent Tapim, 28, set it on fire again about 8.40am with police catching up with him months later on July 16, charging him with wilful damage.
Crown prosecutor Matthew Sutton said Tapim was given nearly a decade-long sentence for his previous offending, including the daring jail break among other various offences.
The court heard Tapim had a 12-page Queensland criminal history, including charges for drug trafficking, stealing fuel, stealing vehicles, burglary, dangerous operation of a vehicle and escaping lawful custody among others.
Tapim was sentenced to six months’ jail to be served concurrently with his near-decade sentence, with immediate parole eligibility.
FULL STORY HERE
Vanessa Lee Stringer
A Mackay mother who pawned stolen diamond rings at a Cash Converters was told “there’s only one person to blame and that’s yourself” when she faced court for fraud and possessing other illegal items.
Vanessa Lee Stringer was loaned just $200 for three rings stolen from a Sarina home, but when police raided her house they found much more.
Stringer, 44, had more stolen jewellery and collectable coins, as well as two illegal flick knives, a glass pipe and a small amount of meth.
She pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to charges of dishonest fraud, receiving tainted property, unlawful possession of weapons, and possessing a pipe and dangerous drugs.
Stringer was fined $2,600 referred to SPER for her offences and released with convictions recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Karenna Leanne Morley
A Bucasia mother slashed her partner’s wrist in bed after accusing him of cheating on her by going into a massage parlour for a “rub and tug”.
Karenna Leanne Morley pleaded guilty to wounding her former husband on December 11, 2021, while he slept at his house.
Prosecuting officer Miranda Hickey said the two had argued about the alleged brothel visit before he joined Morley in bed and cuddled up to her.
The court heard the weapon was a 15cm black-handed kitchen knife which Ms Hickey said police found “wet as if just washed” when they arrived and arrested Morley.
Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his 49-year-old client was a “good woman and good mother” who had suffered a domestically violent marriage with the complainant.
She was sentenced to two years jail suspended immediately for two-and-a-half years.
FULL STORY HERE
Wayne Keith George Haupt
A meth-addicted dad was asleep when his home was raided by police, revealing he had supplied others with the dangerous drug.
Wayne Keith George Haupt was found to have supplied four people with “street-level amounts” of meth in Mackay District Court, the largest amount being $300 for 0.5g.
Crown prosecutor Allegra Thomas said police found Haupt asleep in the main bedroom before he was arrested on October 26, 2022.
The court heard Haupt had spent 286 days in pre-sentence custody, and that the offences had been committed while he was on parole.
Haupt pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying dangerous drugs and possessing a dangerous drug.
Haupt said he could, and was sentenced to 15 months parole with immediate release after 286 days pre-sentence custody declared time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Brooklyn David Fullerton
A young Mackay father high on methylampethamines drove at 180km/hr while attacking a woman, just months after being jailed for driving a stolen car across state borders.
Brooklyn David Fullerton, 23, was serving seven suspended sentences when he sped through Walkerston on May 16 this year, while hitting mailboxes and punching his female passenger.
It comes just 10 months after the former Logan man was sentenced to 12 months’ jail in Ipswich for stealing a car in Mackay, driving it to Tweed Heads, evading police, and driving dangerously while in the throes of an ice binge.
The details of Fullerton’s 20 new charges and “atrocious” behaviour were read out in Mackay Magistrates Court.
Fullerton made early guilty pleas to dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a vehicle, common assault, driving with a license disqualified by court order, and two stealing after previous convictions.
He further pleaded guilty to two obstructing police, assault on police, stealing, failure to appear, three bail breaches, three possession of utensils, possessing tainted property, and using a number plate registered to another vehicle.
Fullerton was jailed for two years jail, with parts of the seven suspended sentences activated.
FULL STORY HERE
Emma Claire Jowsey
A meth mum was caught after she and an unknown man fled from a stolen car, in which police found a baggie containing 2.02 grams of the drug.
Emma Claire Jowsey, 39, tried to escape police on February 1 after officers on Holland St in West Mackay checked the car’s Victorian plates and found it reported stolen.
Mackay Supreme Court heard Jowsey’s son was 14-years-old, and that her offending had occurred just four months after her release from jail in September 2022.
The court heard a search of the car revealed a baggie of meth in the passenger side door and packages addressed to different people in the back seat.
The court heard Jowsey was also found with an electric scale in her handbag, and told police she owned the car.
She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4.
Jowsey was jailed for 18 months with immediate release, and 232 days in pre sentence custody declared as time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Jake King
A Rural View dad of two found with more than 4g of pure cocaine came undone when he parked his car outside the home of a person known to be associated with drugs.
Mackay Supreme Court on Tuesday heard police ran Jake King’s registration plates when they found him parked outside a particular Rural View home on July 15, 2021.
Officers searched King’s car, finding $1600 cash, two clip seal bags containing white powder inside of a sunglasses container, and further clip seal bags in the back of the vehicle.
Forensic analysis revealed King possessed “4.36g of pure cocaine out of a total of 22.434g of substance” – an amount indicating it was for both personal and commercial use.
King pleaded guilty to possessing a dangerous drug in excess of 2g and was jailed for two years with immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Darryl Keith Blaney
A gifted sportsman turned troubled dad who was sucked into the world of drugs has landed in court. But despite his long list of firearm and property offences, one thing kept him from serving time.
Completing three months of intensive drug rehabilitation has kept a dad out of jail after police found a variety of drugs and weapons at a Sarina home.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard Darryl Keith Blaney was found on February 3 with 0.1g of methylamphetamines, 0.1g of marijuana, a shortened firearm, replica firearm gel blasters, a taser torch, numerous stolen mobile phones, debit cards, 99 rounds of ammunition, a laser pointer, and other drug-related items.
The court heard officers also found a volume of liquid that when swallowed would give the effect of GBH or liquid ecstasy.
Blaney pleaded guilty to 18 charges and was jailed for 14 months with immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Steven Ian Maes
A father posted a nude photograph of the mother of his children to Facebook calling her a “hooker who had hepatitis C” just hours before he viciously choked her.
Mackay District Court heard father-of-two Steven Ian Maes was banned from going near the home of his former de facto partner of 10 years, the mother of his two children aged four and 10.
Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard said early on New Year’s Day, 2023, the 32 year old sent numerous “disgusting and derogatory” texts to his former partner.
The court heard he continued the abuse and uploaded an intimate photo of her to Facebook, calling her a “hooker with hepatitis C”.
Ms Sheppard said he then went to her North Mackay unit multiple times and was found “lurking” outside.
Maes then gained entry, accused her of cheating, and with his palm slapped his victim before grabbing her throat, pushing her against the window and choking her.
He pleaded guilty to common assault, choking, suffocation or strangulation and distributing intimate images, all as domestic violence offences and was jailed for two years and nine months with a parole release on October 20, 2023.
FULL STORY HERE
Wade Stephen Richards
A father-of-two offered to pay $4000 compensation after he violently punched a man to the ground at a taxi rank without provocation.
Wade Stephen Richards, 40, faced Mackay Magistrates Court charged with assault occasioning bodily harm over the July 22 incident.
The court heard the Mackay dad was highly intoxicated when with a closed right fist, he punched a 58-year-old man who then fell onto the hard ground, suffering cuts to his face as well as fractures to his ribs and eye and nose sockets.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Linden Pollard said while Richardson did not flee after the “alcohol-fuelled” assault that was captured on CCTV footage, he was too drunk to speak with police and a third-party had to render first-aid to his victim.
She ordered Richardson pay $4000 compensation to his victim and complete 40 hours of community service, with a jail term wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months. A conviction was recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Trent Barrett
A young father has added to his jail sentence for his roles in the wild riot at a Rockhampton jail that racked up $1.2 million of damage.
Mackay District Court heard Trent Barrett, 24, had participated in the October 2021 mayhem at Capricornia Correctional Centre.
Barrett had a lengthy criminal history including possessing dangerous drugs, stealing, damaging property, dishonesty and contravening domestic violence orders.
The court heard he was a father and his meth use had coincided with an “escalation” in crime.
Barrett pleaded guilty to riot in circumstances of aggravation, which carries a maximum penalty of life in jail.
He was jailed for 12 months jail his suspended sentence was reactivated, taking his parole eligibility date to November 15, 2023.
“I sincerely hope that you can become a contributing member of our community but much more importantly, the father that your young son deserves,” Judge John Coker said.
FULL STORY HERE
CONVICTIONS NOT RECORDED
Alexander Patterson
Tension over a musical Christmas wreath blew up when a Bucasia grandfather threw his neighbour to the ground by her throat after she refused to take the decoration down.
The 75 year old had already ordered the woman to remove the motion-detecting festive display that rang out Jingle Bells, threatening to “take an axe to it”.
“You can take that f***ing thing down, all the neighbours can hear it,” Alexander Patterson told the 64-year-old victim.
The pair lived at a unit complex on Waverly St. About 5.30pm on December 13, 2022, Patterson entered her backyard, angry about the wreath.
Prosecutor Lennon Stathoulis told Mackay Magistrates Court the victim refused and Patterson “has then grabbed her by the throat with both … hands and has thrown her to the ground”.
Paterson, who has no criminal history, pleaded guilty to serious assault of a person over 60 years.
Acting Magistrate Ron Muirhead accepted it was a “one off thing, unlikely to happen again”, and placed Patterson on a $1 000 six-month good behaviour bond. He must also pay $1000 compensation and a conviction was not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Sean Richard Diver
A pub muso behind a shocking hit and run at Sarina that left his best mate in a wheelchair for more than two months has walked away with a minimal penalty.
CCTV cameras captured the moment a white Colorado dual cab ute driven by Sean Richard Diver struck Dale Mitchell on Broad St in the early hours of February 13, 2022, and drove away.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard police were called to the hit and run about 1am where they saw a man laying face down on the bitumen and vehicle debris spread across roadway.
Medical records revealed Mr Mitchell suffered a shattered right foot, three broken bones in his left foot, a broken back in three places, torn shoulder ligaments and a broken left knee.
In December 2022 Diver was charged over the crash and he admitted he was driving the ute at the time of the hit and run but “denied recalling the actual incident”.
The 37-year-old father initially denied any knowledge of the hit and run, before ultimately pleading guilty to reckless driving causing grievous bodily harm.
Diver was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for six months. A conviction was not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Kai Edward Albert Barba
A fun night at a popular Mackay city pub descended into violence when a father assaulted two mates, fracturing one man’s eye socket, over loud cheering.
A number of patrons were gathered at the Palace Hotel on November 2, 2022 where a karaoke competition was under way when the incident broke out about 10.45pm.
Beau Cross had been making noises cheering on his friend when Kai Edward Albert Barba approached and said “what the f--k are you doing c--t?”
Mackay Magistrates Court heard Andrew Young tried to intervene and calm Barba down.
The court heard within five seconds of Young stepping in front of Barba, the latter punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground and continued walking after Mr Cross, and swung several punches at his head.
The court heard Mr Young’s eye socket was fractured as a result of the attack.
Barba, a 37-year-old father of three, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.
Barba was placed on a 12 months good behaviour bond and ordered to pay the compensation within two weeks. Convictions were not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Student’s unruly behaviour sparks Qld school lockdown
A north Qld state school was forced into lockdown today following a serious incident over student behaviour.
Driver charged over three-vehicle Bruce Highway horror crash
A Townsville man has been charged over a deadly Bruce Highway crash between Mackay and Proserpine. DETAILS