Kallangur man regrets drug use after octogenarian assault at motel

A magistrate has shown little time for the pleas of a drug addict who assaulted an 83-year-old.

A violent drug addict had to face his crimes at court today.

A FRUSTRATED magistrate has denounced a drug addict’s self-pity and the effect of his offending on society.

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Appearing at the Pine River Magistrates Court via video link today Jarad Mark Bateman, 39, pleaded guilty to a string of charges including serious assault of a person over 60, public nuisance, unlicensed driving and contravention of a police direction.

The court heard Bateman, who had a lengthy 10-page criminal history, committed his most serious offence when he pushed over the 83-year-old owner of the Petrie Motel in Kallangur after failing to pay for his stay on January 23.

Bateman also verbally abused and pushed a security guard at Kallangur Coles on November 3 last year after being suspected of theft.

On July 14 last year Bateman told a Kallangur Woolworths employee to “f*** off” after being observed placing items in his waistband.

On September 9 the defendant was caught driving while unlicensed as a repeat offender and he twice gave police false identification on January 12 this year, while hiding in a bathroom at the Pine Rivers Motel.

Bateman, who was unrepresented, pleaded for parole and said he regretted “hitting the drugs a bit”.

“I am 39 years old and over it your honour,” he said.

“When I was on parole last time I never breached it once and did everything right.

“I am willing to do drug tests every week. I will definitely not screw up again.

“There is plenty of stuff in here and I have stayed away from it.”

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But magistrate Trevor Morgan was having none of it.

“You think you’re over it?” Mr Morgan said.

“What about the rest of the community and how it is affected by you?

“But with you it is just ‘poor old me’.

“The morning after every drug addict in the world will say ‘I’ll give it a hundred per cent go’.”

Bateman was sentenced to 8 months’ imprisonment with a February 28 parole date.

Convictions were recorded.