Ingham court: Tony Drew admits to graffiti of motorcycle and mower business
An retiree of good character has become one of the oldest people in Queensland to plead guilty to a charge of graffiti after scribbling a vile tirade on a prominent NQ business.
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An elderly retiree with no criminal history has become one of the oldest people in Queensland to plead guilty to a charge of graffiti after scribbling a vile tirade on the wall of a prominent Hinchinbrook business.
Self-represented Tony Ramon Paul Drew, 70, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday to wilful damage by graffiti before launching an unsubstantiated verbal tirade against four innocent local businesses.
Queensland Police Service Prosecutor Nathan Smith said the charge related to a message scrawled on the side of Ingham Motorcycles and Mowers on Herbert St, the Bruce Highway, on January 12.
“The defendant has taken a felt-tip pen, which is seen on CCTV, and has written ‘scamming bitch, your turn is coming’ across the shop.”
The respected business, which stated it had only ever been polite and accommodating to Drew, provided News Corp with a still photograph from the footage as well as an image of the foul graffiti that could easily be seen by passing pedestrians.
The pensioner, in his own defence, said in court that he was a “man of good integrity”.
“I’m a good person,” he said in a faltering voice.
“Since I’ve been in this town I’ve had four businesses steal from me, lie to me, try and scam me, I was just a bit over it.”
Drew, who said he was a former driver and “jack of all trades”, moved from Charters Towers to Ingham about two years ago.
He said he had no family in Hinchinbrook when asked by concerned Magistrate Cathy McLennan.
“Have you gone to see a doctor or sought any medical treatment?” the magistrate further enquired.
“I’m on lots of medication for my heart … and high blood pressure,” he replied.
Magistrate McLennan said the incident was “strange”, saying she could not remember the last time she had imposed a graffiti-removal order.
“It is just that this is very strange behaviour … you are 70, you haven’t been in trouble before … I just find it very odd,” she said.
“I just wondered if you had thought about talking to your doctor about what happened?”
Drew conceded he was “a bit stressed”.
Magistrate McLennan initially sentenced the defendant to “scrubbing out graffiti” for three hours under the supervision of the Department of Corrections.
A Community Corrections representative in court said the sentence was no longer an option in Ingham, with Magistrate McLennan subsequently imposing four hours of community service with a stipulation that the first hour be spent visiting a GP “to assess if there are any underlying issues”.
No conviction was recorded.
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Originally published as Ingham court: Tony Drew admits to graffiti of motorcycle and mower business
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