Southeast Queensland’s courthouses showcase defendant’s fashion choices
Court defendants have turned heads in a range of fashion choices this year, take a look at the top 20 faux pas and sensational stylings made in magistrates courts across southeast Queensland.
Logan
Don't miss out on the headlines from Logan. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Queensland Government website states that when somebody goes to court they should show respect for the court by dressing neatly.
“Make sure you dress in clean, neat attire with appropriate footwear, avoid wearing shorts, tracksuits, thongs, sunglasses or a hat in court.”
Appropriate, respectable dress attire has always been a necessity for an appearance in front of your honour, or so you would think.
Not all defendants feel the need to follow the suggested attire while others go above and beyond with glamorous stylings.
Magistrate Sheryl Cornack from Pine Rivers Magistrates Court this year scolded two defendants for their inappropriate clothing choices.
On October 5, Ms Cornack threatened to hold a man in contempt of court for wearing a shirt with the phrase ‘big member’ printed on it.
She warned another man the same day whose clothing cleverly stated ‘I do what the voices in my head tell me to’, which we can confirm is not a defensible argument by law.
Below we take a look at the standout styles from various defendants across southeast Queensland in 2022.
THE LOOK: The mullet
Business at the front, party at the back, and in this case it was all party as 24-year-old Logan tradie Corey Sheppard told a court how he brazenly took a sip from his beer bottle while being arrested by police.
He looks to have just been to the barber for a fresh fade of a two or one on the sides.
This makes sense as it is crucial to look sharp before an appearance at the courthouse and it was a Friday, so the mullet needed to be firing for the weekend.
Sheppard was fined $1800 and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for three months after pleading guilty to driving while over the middle alcohol limit and without a license.
Corey Sheppard: Logan tradie swigs beer mid-arrest for drink driving
THE LOOK: White suit, moustache, man bun
Reminiscent of Johnny Depp from 2001 blockbuster ‘Blow’, which was ironic as Tully James Theodore Davies appeared in Cleveland Magistrates Court on drug possession charges too.
I could also picture Mr Davies acting in a John Wick film, with his immaculate white suit, tidy man bun and moustache.
Mr Davies pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing dangerous drugs and two counts of possessing S4, S8 (restricted) medicines.
He was placed on a good behaviour bond and was free to fight Keanu Reeves for another day.
'Pre-workout tablets’: Birkdale man on drug possession charges
THE LOOK: High-vis, cap, sports drink
Riley Jay West, 22, is going to need a lot more powerades when he conducts his 200 hours of community service for a burglary committed in 2020.
He received an 18 month suspended prison sentence for burglary in company and assault occasioning bodily harm at Ipswich District Court and was immediately released on parole, so he had time to head back home and put his high-vis clothes in the wash before pre-start the next day.
Family’s wild bashing of neighbour, false paedophile accusations revealed in an Ipswich court
THE LOOK: The vaper, sportsman
If you’ve been out and about, you would have noticed all the kids these days are vaping their e-cigarettes and after a stressful day out at the courthouse.
This look from William John Brown is decent as he sports the oversized sports coat from American fashion brand Nautica.
It’s important to note his outfit is not just built for comfort but also practicality, as he carries his water bottle in his left pocket, clearly someone who is also maintaining healthy levels of hydration while at the Ipswich courthouse.
Brown pleaded guilty to one charge of driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence and was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid community service.
THE LOOK: Tie, suit pants and jacket
If Gandalf from Lord of the Rings ever had a run in with the law, I imagine this is how he would dress.
This classic outfit by 70-year-old Edward Murphy brings a bit of class and style to the Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
The dark brown leather jacket compliments the skinny black tie, black pants and dress shoes for an elderly man’s choice of clothing that is truly timeless.
Murphy pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention and received a suspended three month prison sentence and was disqualified from driving for 9 months.
Motorcyclist Adam Croton shares support for driver Edward Murphy about tragic accident
THE LOOK: Sportswoman, mum, Pink passion
Celeste Abbey Johnson pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to 10 counts of fraud but there was nothing deceptive about her colour coordination.
Matching your baby pram with your outfit is not an easy task, but it is fair to say the 24-year-old hit the brief with this Pink ensemble.
Ms Johnson will have to give online clothes shopping a rest for a while as she was ordered to pay $1450 in restitution and was put on probation for 15 months.
Celeste Abbey Johnson: Mum-of-five fronts court on fraud, stealing charges
THE LOOK: Flanno with matching red hair
The colour coordination by 29-year-old Jake Gostevesky was on point here, which is not easy to do with a bright red flanno.
Mr Gostevesky appeared in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on child grooming charges and his bright, dyed red hair certainly made him stand out.
Before the mining boom and hi-vis became the staple of Australian workwear, the flanno top was very much the Australian blue collar, working man’s attire, so in this sense Mr Gostevesky’s choice of clothing was casual yet professional.
He pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court to one count of grooming a person under the age of 16, four counts of underage indecent treatment and received a 15 month suspended prison sentence with a two and a half year probation order.
Woodridge man Jake Gostevesky jailed for grooming 13-year-old girl
THE LOOK: White shirt, vest and blue jeans, ciggie
A semiautomatic rifle with 30 rounds of ammunition found in Michelle Sandra Tanson’s possession was second only in explosiveness to her buttoned vest, skinny blue denim jeans and white dress shirt combination.
“It is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Magistrate Ron Kilner in Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
She pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon and three counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
Ms Tanson was sentenced to 18 months probation and a conviction was recorded, giving her a valid reason to need a stress-relieving dart after her court appearance.
Flagstone mum-of-one Michelle Sandra Tanson, 37, sentenced for rifle, meth possession
THE LOOK: Fresh mullet, blue dress shirt and big sunnies
Harley Dea Adams arrived at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court in style, sporting a freshly shaved mullet with a gelled up fringe and stylish sunnies.
Subtlety is not Mr Adam’s strong point in terms of fashion or offending, he pleaded guilty to evading police and wilfully making unnecessary noise or smoke after brazenly performing a burnout in front of a cop.
Adams was at the time disqualified from driving for speeding in excess of 40km/h above the limit and his mullet was seen flowing in the wind as he accelerated around the Park Ridge region.
Adams was sentenced to 18 months probation and was fined $6,893.
Harley Dea Adams, 24, of Park Ridge sentenced for evading police and burnout while disqualified
THE LOOK: All black with designer handbag
The days of designer handbags are long gone for Anna Humeniuk after her drug-dealing side hustle was shut down and she was fined $3000 at Brisbane Magistrates Court.
The 27-year-old influencer told the court that ironically she was the one being influenced to help sell drugs for another person.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying an “unspecified” amount of an “unspecified” drug.
Ms Humeniuk’s black on black attire was simple yet elegant and a look that showcased the confidence necessary for a defendant seeking to not be handed a criminal conviction.
Anna Humeniuk: Brisbane real estate professional’s drug-dealing side hustle exposed in court
THE LOOK: Large hoop earrings and rose
Ginormous hoops and roses are not a combination you often see featured in popular fashion magazines but that shows the brave risks Queensland’s defendants are willing to take with their outfits.
Holly McNamara fronted Cleveland Magistrates Court for an incident where she threw her boots at police officers and kicked them in a wild, chaotic outburst.
She pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, committing a public nuisance, obstructing a police officer and wilful damage of police property.
Her antics were almost as outlandish as her accessories and she was ordered to pay $600 in restitution to the police officers and placed on a good behaviour bond.
Redland Bay cafe owner, Holly Macnamara, sentenced for drunk fiasco, kicking slapping police
THE LOOK: Pink cap, black puffer jacket with denim shorts
A black puffer jacket during summer is a controversial move but style always takes precedence over comfort.
Beenleigh removalist Blade William Porter faced Beenleigh Magistrates Court for using a stolen gel blaster to scare the public, stealing cash and possessing dangerous drugs.
He pleaded guilty to unauthorised dealing with shop goods, entering premises and committing an indictable offence, unlawful possession of a weapon and received a probation order of nine months.
The pink yankees cap and blue denim shorts don’t pair well together for mine but who knows what's cool to the 18-year-old kids these days?
Beenleigh removalist Blade William Porter, sentenced for string of crimes
THE LOOK: Leopard print top
Leopard print tops seem to be the latest trend in Ipswich as we know, the regional folk tend to be more in touch with wildlife and nature than those city slickers.
Mandy Jane Micheelsen, 43, faced Ipswich District Court after being found by police with $10,000 in cash and more than 1kg of cannabis.
She pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs, two counts of possession of anything used in the commission of a crime and received a suspended 15 month prison sentence.
Defence barrister Daniel Caruana said Micheelson had consistently maintained employment and had also stopped using cannabis since this offending, but as the saying goes, a leopard doesn’t change its spots.
Mandy Jane Micheelsen and Jacob Neil O’Keefe front Ipswich Court for drug possession
THE LOOK: Silver blazer with man bag
A neck tat’, gelled hair with a fade and a man bag is not a fashion combination you see every day, especially in the comings and goings of a Logan courthouse.
Michael Macgregor was not afraid to be bold as he headed upstairs to the Beenleigh District Court on charges of fraud totalling over $10,000.
He received a suspended 10-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to fraud as an employee, but there was nothing deceptive about his clean-cut, modern appearance that day.
Michael Macgregor faces deportation after stealing $10k from employer
THE LOOK: Ponytail, chain and tattoos
Kenly Nguyen’s profession as a tattoo artist was unsurprising when revealed in court and his colourful array of body art was matched only by a heavy silver chain and shiny, slicked ponytail.
His science fiction cyberpunk style getup was just as chaotic as his drug-fuelled joyride in a stolen car and a fake driver’s license which landed him in Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful use and possession of a motor vehicle, driving without a license and possession of dangerous drugs.
Nguyen was found hiding under a caravan when Police discovered him and was later sentenced to nine months prison with an immediate parole release date.
Beenleigh resident, Kenly Nguyen, appears in court charged with driving and drug offences
THE LOOK: Camo jacket and mullet
Declan John McClenaghan probably thought he could hide by wearing a camouflage jacket but our savvy journalists managed to spot him despite him blending in with his surroundings.
The 22-year-old fronted Brisbane Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to wilful damage, entering a dwelling and committing an indictable offence and driving when not permitted.
The enter dwelling incident occured when he illegally entered a person’s home and poured shampoo over them due to a history of ‘bad blood’.
It was understandable McClenaghan had a surplus of shampoo available as his long, flowing mullet was immaculately well groomed.
Herston man Declan McClenaghan in court for entering dwelling, damaging police property
Ex-MP warns Olympic law threatens historic SEQ precinct
Former MP Don Brown has condemned a proposed Olympic planning law, warning it enables irreversible damage to heritage sites without community input or environmental scrutiny.
Court locks in plea hearing for Andrew Laming case
Former Bowman MP Andrew Laming will return to Cleveland court in July to enter a plea over electoral charges linked to his 2024 mayoral campaign.