Adam Joseph Hopkins was on acid during Rockhampton armed robbery

High on acid, a violent armed robber with a 10-page history held up a Central Queensland supermarket with a “machete like knife”. It wasn’t his only frightening crime that day.

Adam Joseph Hopkins has a 10-page criminal history and is described by a judge as “a danger to the community”.

At just 23, serial armed robber Adam Joseph Hopkins has racked up a 10-page criminal record with his latest spree leading a judge to label him “a danger to the community”.

Rockhampton District Court heard Hopkins, who was previously jailed after throwing himself on the bonnet of a car while on a meth-fuelled crime spree, had reoffended within a month of being released on parole – this time while high on acid.

Judge Michael Rackemann said Hopkins walked up to a 75-year-old male in the street, bear hugged him, stole the keys to his car and took off in it, in the middle of the day.

Hopkins was captured on CCTV at a service station carrying out a fuel drive off.

Two weeks later, on September 24, Hopkins robbed a Foodworks in the early hours of the morning.

The court heard Hopkins entered the supermarket, “heavily disguised” while armed with a knife which he “waved around” while demanding cigarettes and money, telling staff “I will stab ya.”

The knife was described as “machete-like”.

Hopkins took off with six cigarette packets and $730 cash but ran into a customer as he was leaving.

He motioned a stabbing action and threw a soft drink can at the customer who chased him across the road before Hopkins again threatened him.

Hopkins was later located in possession of stolen items such as a child’s bicycle, a mobile phone and torch.

The court heard in March 2022, Hopkins was sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court for a series of car and drug offences, including three disqualified driving offences which led to his mother’s car being impounded.

Prior to that, he had been sentenced in the district court in 2020 for terrorising a taxi driver during an armed robbery.

“He is a dangerous recidivist who is a danger to the community,” Judge Rackemann said.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said her client had been under the influence of drugs at the times of offending.

“He was using acid, which he says he doesn’t have a lot of experience with,” she said.

Ms Shaw said Hopkins had managed to get some employment experience the last time he was in the community, but it was cancelled due to the Return to Prison Warrant.

She said her client was still medicated for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hopkins pleaded guilty to one count each of armed robbery, common assault, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and possessing tainted property.

He received a three-year jail sentence to be served on top of his existing sentence but with immediate parole.

Hopkins had spent 306 days in custody prior to sentencing while serving out the prior sentence.