Tristian Hookey: Jail for man after Australia Day joy ride

An ill informed Australia Day expedition to the city has landed a 25-year old in court charged with larceny, assault and driving a vehicle without consent of the owner.

A man has been jailed after punching a car owner and then taking his vehicle for an Australia Day spin around the city.

Tristian Hookey, 25, was in Blacktown Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to larceny, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and for taking and driving a vehicle without consent of owner.

The court heard Hookey had asked the victim to dive him to the station around 3pm on January 26, 2021.

The victim went into the living room to get his keys but was unable to find them, the court heard.

He then saw Hookey hold up the keys.

He asked for Hookey to give him the keys but Hookey responded: “No, I want to go to the city.”

When the victim refused, Hookey said “I don’t want you, I need your car.”

The victim tried to grab the keys at which point Hookey grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and punched him to the right side of his face.

The court heard the attack caused bruising, swelling and a cut to his right cheek.

Later that afternoon CCTV caught Hookey driving the vehicle to the Sydney Opera House with two other unknown occupants in the vehicle.

Hookey was arrested on February 6 and charged. He applied for bail in March but it was refused.

Magistrate Brian van Zuylen described as a “long criminal history”.

He sentenced Hookey to 15 months imprisonment with 7 months non parole dating back to March 9. He will be eligible for parole on October 8.