Holm Kretschmar sentenced for public nuisance, shoplifting

A German tourist has caused havoc around Brisbane within days of arriving in Australia by sending a primary school into lockdown, threatening to kill police, pleasuring himself in a jail cell and stealing an Aussie dinner staple.

A German tourist has caused havoc around Brisbane, sending a primary school into lockdown, threatening to kill police and pleasuring himself in a jail cell.

A German tourist has caused havoc in Brisbane after he sent a primary school into lockdown, threatened to kill police, shoplifted a barbecued chicken and masturbated in a police cell.

Holm Kretschmar pleaded guilty to contravening a police banning order, three charges of committing public nuisance, committing public nuisance within licensed premises, possession of a knife in a public place and unauthorised dealings with shop goods, at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday September 7, 2023.

The 58-year-old arrived in Australia in May and committed five offences in two weeks.

Police prosecutor Angela Tetley said Kretschmar was disturbing the administration staff at St James Catholic Primary School in Coorparoo on July 11, 2023 at 9am.

“He stated he was a teacher and asked the staff to ‘let me up there, I just ask for one kid”, while pointing towards the classrooms,” Sergeant Tetley said.

“He was asked to leave the premises and the staff felt threatened so the school went into lockdown.

“At 5.30am, the next morning, he was back at the school banging on the doors, running onto the road in and out of traffic.

“He hissed at the headmistress and alarmed the 160 students who were being dropped off,” she said.

Sergeant Tetley told the court Kretschmar was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident and soon after was arrested.

“On July 21, he was being a public nuisance at a Brisbane bar he had been banned from and on July 23, he was at the Cleveland Lighthouse restaurant abusing and threatening staff,” Sergeant Tetley said.

“At 5.15pm on July 23, police took his blood alcohol reading of 0.227.

“He told police he was a soldier and he would kill them,” she said.

Kretschmar started to cut himself and when taken to the Cleveland watch-house, he stripped himself of his clothes and began to masturbate, later ejaculating onto the cell walls, the court heard.

Sergeant Tetley said on July 24, witnesses saw Kretschmar shoplifting a BBQ chicken and bottled water from Woolworths in Cleveland.

“He was again, heavily intoxicated and the Woolworth’s staff and customers were scared to approach him,” Sergeant Tetley said.

Holm Kretschmar was sentenced at the Cleveland Magistrates Court on September 7, 2023.

“He committed five offences in the same week, from the moment he’s arrived on our turf he’s caused nothing but grief,” she said.

Defence lawyer Jane Bruxner said Kretschmar has already served 45 days in custody and suffers from poor mental health.

“He has been medicated since being in custody and had been going through a manic episode,” Ms Bruxner said.

“His intentions were to enjoy Australia, but he is leaving this weekend for Bolivia.”

Magistrate Vasta said the school lockdown would have been traumatic for the children and may have triggered students.

“These are very serious offences,” Ms Vasta said.

Kretschmar said he was “trying to make a joke with the school”.

He was sentenced to 48 days in custody, a six month probationary period with a three month suspended sentence.

Convictions were recorded.