Costly mistake: Dad jailed for pokies night pinch

The father of six who ‘stood totally naked’ when police arrested him was locked up for the ‘selfish’ theft of almost $2000

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A TOWNSVILLE father is behind bars after he stole a wallet containing almost $2000 in cash from a local leagues club and slashed a motor bikes tires with a knife.

Rupert Keith Alexander Palmer, 32, stole the wallet that was sitting next to a pokie machine at the Kirwan Brothers Leagues Club on January 9.

He pleaded guilty to seven charges in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday including stealing and seriously assaulting police.

The court heard the wallet’s owner left it unattended before Palmer walked up and stole it, taking with him $1800, two debit cards and a drivers licence that was inside.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Erin Collis said the offence occurred four days before Palmer was issued with a notice to provide his ID to police by January 15, which he failed to do.

When police attended his Cranbrook address on March 15, Palmer was “agitated” after they woke him up at 10.30am and became volatile and “resisted arrest”.

Sen Constable Collis said Palmer took off his clothes and “stood totally naked” before he yelled abuse and threatened to headbutt and punch police.

The court heard he spat on a police officer when he was placed at the rear of the police car.

Palmer’s offending continued on May 29 when he did not pay for a $55 taxi ride from the Cowboys Leagues Club to Kelso, before he stood in the middle of his street with four large knives and pushed a motor bike over and “stabbed” its wheels.

Palmer’s lawyer Margaret Crowther said police went to her client’s house in relation to the unlawful use of a vehicle but was not charged in relation to that inquiry.

Magistrate Ross Mack said Palmer was a “mature man” who “should know better”.

“You’ve been out of control for a while now. It’s just selfish,” Mr Mack said.

Palmer was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for stealing, and six months for the serious assault of police.

For public nuisance he was sentenced to a further two months behind bars, one-month imprisonment for possessing a knife and one month for obstructing police.

He was fined $300 for fare evasion and $100 for contravening a police direction, referred to SPER.

All prison sentences are to be served concurrently and Palmer will be eligible for parole on September 6.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Costly mistake: Dad jailed for pokies night pinch