Geoffrey Lackey pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to public nuisance, assault and wilful and unlawful damage

A Roma man who was found wandering the streets ‘shirtless and shoeless’ has faced court for his offending. Here’s what the magistrate said.

A Roma man who tried to punch police officers and was photographed by witnesses throwing pebbles at shop windows as he wandered the streets has landed in court.

Geoffrey Lackey pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to public nuisance, wilful and unlawful damage and assault.

Police prosecutions said on January 3 police attended a South St address regarding a disturbance when they discovered Lackey yelling and swearing as he spoke on the phone.

Police told him to calm down but the defendant kept continuing with his outburst, the court was told.

As he was arrested, Lackey tried to punch the police.

Police held his arm back as they transported him to the watch-house.

Further, on January 26 Lackey was photographed by witnesses as he threw rocks at shop windows on Bowen St, Roma.

“He approached on foot from the east, walked up to a small garden area full of pebbles and threw them at the businesses’ windows,” police prosecutions said.

“Several windows were smashed and the glass was chipped in a number of places requiring a replacement.

“This was observed by witnesses taking photos from the carpark of a nearby hotel.

“He spent the night in police custody in relation to being intoxicated, where he was shirtless and shoeless.”

The construction worker said he was going through a tough time and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“I can hear voices and stuff,” he said.

The defendant said he lost his mother a couple of years ago and had been struggling with drugs and alcohol for a while now.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said Lackey had displayed concerning behaviour and has a serious history of getting in trouble with the law.

“He was sent to prison for quite a bit and there’s a lot of violence on his history,” the magistrate said.

Lackey was given 12 months probation for all three offences.