Karl-Heinz Walter Vooren sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for pulling a knife out at popular shopping centre

A man who transformed his life by cutting fellow inmates’ hair left a security guard “shaking” and “stuttering” after a dramatic shopping centre scuffle.

Karl-Heinz Walter Vooren appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday after he used a sheathed knife to repeatedly strike another person at Castletown shopping centre. Photo: Facebook

A prison barber who brandished a kitchen knife during a chaotic altercation at a Townsville shopping centre told a court he never intended to frighten a female security guard.

Karl-Heinz Walter Vooren appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday after he used a sheathed knife to repeatedly strike another person at CastleTown Shopping Centre.

Magistrate Cathy McLennan told the court that in May this year a heated argument broke out outside the commonwealth bank branch between Vooren and another man.

“The unknown man tried to get away from you and walk back inside the shopping centre, you produced a knife that was in a plastic sheath,” she said.

While Vooren never took the knife out of its case, he did use it to repeatedly hit the man’s leg.

The court heard a female security guard intervened and managed to disarm Vooren, pulling the knife from his hand and securing it by tucking it into the back of her pants.

“She was extremely fearful, stuttering her words … and her hands were shaking,” Magistrate McLennan said.

Vooren told a court he was sorry for frightening a security guard. Photo: Facebook

“I know you didn’t make any overt threats to her with the knife, but the way that you used it in effect as a club to hit the other person has been what’s caused fear.”

Police were able to find Vooren nearby shortly after the incident and find a second sheathed kitchen knife in his hand.

Police found Vooren nearby shortly after, holding another sheathed kitchen knife.

As the constable grabbed his handcuffs to arrest him, Vooren broke free from his grasp and took off running, the court heard.

When police eventually caught him, they searched him and found a small amount of cannabis.

Vooren’s defence lawyer said since being in prison he had begun cutting people’s hair for $20 a week and had seen a vast improvement in his mental health.

Vooren took an opportunity to speak at the end of his sentence.

“I’m very sorry that happened and I honestly really need to make it up to that girl,” he said.

Vooren pleaded guilty to going armed so as to cause fear, obstructing police officers, possessing dangerous drugs and the possession of a knife in a public place.

He was sentenced to six months jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.

The 54 days spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served and convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Karl-Heinz Walter Vooren sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for pulling a knife out at popular shopping centre