Magistrate orders man to take off Bob Marley shirt

A magistrate blew his top when a defendant turned up in a Bob Marley shirt. It wasn’t reggae, but what else was on the t-shirt that sparked his anger.

Almat leaves Holland Park Court this morning. He was ordered to turn his T-shirt inside out.

Here’s a tip. If you’re facing serious charges, don’t front up to court with an image of someone smoking a large joint printed on your t-shirt.

That’s exactly what Travis Sebastian Almat, 31, unemployed, did in Holland Park Magistrates Court this morning.

Almat, who pleaded guilty to three charges of contravening a community service order, was relying on the mercy of Magistrate Simon Young to stay out of jail.

Despite that, he fronted up in a t-shirt with an image of reggae singer Bob Marley smoking a marijuana joint.

“Go outside and turn that shirt inside out,’’ a furious Mr Young ordered Almat.

When Almat instead tried to put a black hoodie over the shirt, Mr Young told him he “wasn’t improving the situation’’.

“I can see why we’re here for a contravention order,’’ Mr Young said.

“It’s not the first time people have been so careless about how they appear before the court.’’

Travis Sebastian Almat, 31, outside the court.

The court heard Almat had been ordered on May 31, in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, to perform 100 hours of community service after being convicted of unlawful possession of stolen goods, stealing and public nuisance.

He was also immediately released on parole by the Brisbane Magistrates Court after being convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm.

But Mr Young said it appeared Almat had performed only 1.5 hours of his community service order, mostly the induction, and had failed to attend on no less than 14 occasions.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service solicitor, Caitlin Shannon-Dear, told the court Almat had left school after Year 9 and worked as a landscaper and labourer, before contracting lung disease after a stint as an asbestos remover.

He was now on a disability support pension and had been homeless off and on since 2000.

However, Ms Shannon-Dear said since Almat had found accommodation through not-for-profit agencies Mica and Common Ground his life had started to turn around.

She said his offending had been de-escalating in recent times, he admitted he had a problem with drug addiction and would comply with a probation order.

“I don’t believe it,’’ Mr Young said.

“He’s saying the words he thinks the court wants to hear.’’

Mr Young, in sentencing, told Almat he had a “long and disgraceful history of doing whatever you want, whenever it suits you, in regards to other people’s property, and offences of violence’’.

But Mr Young noted Almat’s guilty plea and his breach of the community service order did not involve criminal activity.

“A period of actual prison will not help anybody, not you, not the community,’’ he said.

Instead, he ordered Almat serve one month prison on each charge, to be served concurrently and also concurrent with his existing suspended sentence.

He recorded convictions on all three charges but did not impose a fine due to Almat’s inability to pay.

“His money is best off in his pocket and not the government’s,’’ Mr Young said.

“Don’t forget to turn your shirt the right way,’’ he told Almat as he prepared to leave the courtroom. “Right, Mr Almat, make it work.’’