Repeat driving offender John Hopoate avoids jail and learns to keep calm while knitting

After he was found guilty of driving while disqualified, a magistrate asked NRL bad boy John Hopoate to pick his punishment - he chose knitting. Now, road safety advocates are slamming the decision.

The NSW legal system has come under fire for allowing ex-NRL bad boy John Hopoate to dodge jail time with a “knitting” sentence following his latest driving indiscretion, with road safety advocates slamming the outcome as a “slap in the face”.

The quick-tempered repeat offender – who lives in NRL notoriety for poking several opposition players in the backside – is putting his fingers to better use by knitting beanies and teddies for sick children after he sidestepped prison and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service work for driving while disqualified.

The needlecraft program, designed by NSW Corrective Services to teach patience and goal focus and give offenders a chance to repay the community for their crimes, has been criticised by the Road Trauma Support Group NSW.

There is no suggestion Hopoate has ever injured anyone as a result of his traffic offences.

Chairman Tom Daher, 62, whose elderly father Tannous, 83, died when a truck being driven down the wrong side of the road by a motorist crashed through a relative’s front yard as he was gardening in Sydney’s west in 2017, said the “cycle” of recidivist drivers averting custodial sentences must end and called for law reform.

Former NRL player John Hopoate, 51, is taught to knit by Nancy Smith, 89, after he was sentenced to 100 hours of community service work. Picture: Julian Andrews.

“Knitting instead of jail is not an answer – it’s a slap in the face to families who have lost loved ones by driving offenders,” he said.

“The driver who killed my dad had been suspended five times.

“If someone is a repeat offender, he’s a risk to the public and shouldn't be driving.

“The courts need to toughen up and impose jail sentences.

“How is knitting going to change the behaviour of repeat offenders?”

In 2019, NSW community correction officers managed an average 20,000 offenders serving sentences in the community, including about 4600 completing community service work.

Hopoate was sentenced last month to community service work as part of an intensive correction order, which involves the supervision of Community Corrections.

Pensioner Nancy Smith and John Hopoate knit teddy bears for sick babies for the Business With A Heart charity as part of Hopoate’s 100 hours of community service work for driving while disqualified. Picture: Julian Andrews

The former Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers winger, who is a Mormon, was convicted in Manly Local Court for driving a work truck while his licence was disqualified.

Sentencing him, magistrate Daniel Reiss described his driving record as “horrendous” and handed him a nine-month intensive correction order, which allows him to serve jail time in the community under supervision by parole authorities.

Community service work tasks range from maintaining public spaces, preparing meals for community events, fixing farmers’ fences, scrubbing graffiti, regenerating grave sides and caring for animals.

Hopoate maintains the meditative craft is helping him steady his busy mind and reflect on past behaviours.

John Hopoate was given the choice to pick up rubbish or knit as part of his alternative custodial sentence after he pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified. Picture: Julian Andrews

Joking about his moment of madness on the NRL field in 2001, Hopoate, 51, said: “At the time, I was raising awareness for prostate cancer”.
“I’m joking. The whole thing was supposed to be a joke,” he said.

“These fingers are now going to save lives and keep kids warm.

“The judge said I had two choices - to knit or pick up rubbish in the park, or go to jail.

John Hopoate is learning to knit and says the meditative process is helping him reflect on his past mistakes.

“I chose knitting to give back to the community and help save children’s lives and keep them warm.

“I’m not picking up rubbish. I’ve got eight grandchildren. I tidy and pick up rubbish at home all day. That’s enough.

“I’ve got 12 or 13 weeks of knitting. It helps me concentrate and it gives my fingers something to do.

John Hopoate is enjoying learning the craft of knitting saying it keeps him focused on the task in hand. Picture Julian Andrews

“It’s forcing me to reflect on and re-evaluate what I’ve done and to change my behaviour.

“I’m enjoying it. It helps me stay focused because you can’t get holes in the beanies or the bears.

“It won’t stop me losing my temper because I don’t have one. I only get angry when people tick me off.”

John Hopoate displays a beanie he’s been knitting. Picture: Supplied.

Hopoate, branded a “recidivist traffic offender” after 13 previous licence suspensions, is knitting and crocheting under supervision eight hours every Monday at St Leonard’s community corrections centre for charities that include Business with A Heart.

Louisa Carlini, principal psychologist at PSYCHmatters in Concord, says knitting induces emotional regulation and helps offenders learn new skills.

Tom Daher, whose father Tannous, 89, was killed by drugged driver who ploughed his truck through a relative’s front yard while he was gardening in Sydney’s west, has called for law reform. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“It’s a reflective activity outside normal behaviour that can help retrain the brain and slow down people who are impulsive so they can focus on the task in hand and use the time to reflect on themselves,” she said.

“Giving back to the community also helps develop a positive sense of self.

“John Hopoate behaviour in the past has been negatively interpreted in the past and this shows a different, caring, side to him.”

John Hopoate is knitting beanies and toys for sick and traumatised babies as part of his community service work at St Leonard’s Community Corrections Centre. Picture: Supplied.

Business With A Heart, which provides teddies to hospitalised children traumatised from life threatening illnesses or major medical procedures, and mental health support for adults, welcomed Hopoate’s help.

Founder Tania Mastroianni said “John was so lovely”.

He helped make the bears and wants to knit us bears as well as jumpers and beanies for the kids – the sense of hope and joy bears can offer is invaluable, especially when parents cannot be with their children 24/7 in hospital,” she said.

Corrective Services NSW said: “The programs support a variety of knitting initiatives including knitting blankets for charities, hospitals and nursing homes, beanies for premature babies or people experiencing homelessness.”

Nancy Smith from Mosman with John Hopoate and Business With A Heart charity founder Tania Mastroianni (right). Picture Julian Andrews

On Wednesday, Deputy Premier Prue Car said she understood possible negative reactions to Hopoate’s knitting sentence, but stressed it would be “inappropriate” for the government to comment on the decision.

“I can understand why people...would probably feel a little bit concerned, maybe a bit uncomfortable (about) the punishment given in that case. There’s obviously no suggestion that (Hopoate) harmed anyone but given the driving record and the offence, I can understand why people...would be a little concerned,” she said.

“That’s the decision the magistrate in that court has made in that particular circumstance and that’s arms’ length of government for a good reason.”

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