Noah Walton Hooper pleads guilty to 12 charges in Townsville Magistrates Court

A Townsville boxer’s “week of madness” in a car with fake plates and loaded with weapons came to an abrupt end when he was found sleeping in a stranger’s car.

A talented Townsville boxer embarked on a “week of madness” between Townsville and Mackay in a car displaying fake plates and loaded with weapons, a court has heard.

Police prosecutor Cody Rowe said Noah Walton Hooper, 19, was involved in fuel drive-offs from service stations in Aitkenvale, Alligator Creek, Home Hill and Farleigh, over a week in June.

He said Hooper came to the attention of police after reports of two males fighting in the carpark of a service station in Farleigh, west of Mackay on June 17.

Responding to reports of a fight, police found 14 cannabis seeds in Hooper’s possession, prompting a search of his vehicle.

Officers discovered a baton, tomahawk, knife, a magazine for a handgun, drugs, and a set of electronic scales.

Four days later, Hooper was found in a “heavily intoxicated” state in Mackay, sleeping in a car that he had broken into.

He pleaded guilty to 12 charges including unlawful entry of vehicle, stealing, unauthorised dealing with shop goods, possession of detachable magazines without licence, possessing restricted items, possession of a knife in a public place, possess tainted property, and attaching number plate from another vehicle in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Duty lawyer Hayley Andersen said Hooper didn’t place the weapons in his car but accepted responsibility for them.

She said the underlying causes of Hooper’s week of offending were illicit drugs and associating with the “wrong people”.

After being discovered in a car that Ms Andersen said could have mistaken for his mother’s, he was admitted to hospital for a mental health assessment before being released into his parent’s care.

She said Hooper has been clean of drugs and alcohol after seeking help through ATODS to rehabilitate himself, and had since returned to A grade rugby league and boxing.

Given his young age and lack of criminal history, his employment as a disability support worker, and aspiration to join the Australian Defence Force, she asked the magistrate not to impose a conviction.

Magistrate Scott Luxton described Hooper’s offending as “a week of madness”, which he regarded as “out of character”.

Noting Hooper’s family was there to support him in court, he asked how they would have felt after not hearing from him during that week in June.

Determined to ensure Hooper had the right supervision and assistance while he was rehabilitated, he sentenced him to a nine month period of probation.

He also fined him $1100, ordered to pay $342.58 in restitution, with no conviction recorded.

Originally published as Noah Walton Hooper pleads guilty to 12 charges in Townsville Magistrates Court