Luke Jackson: Former London Olympian sentenced for intimidation of parking ranger

A former Olympic boxer has fronted court after he delivered a vicious verbal spray on a council parking inspector before unleashing a series of punches on his car window.

A former Olympic boxer who competed as part of the Australian team at the 2012 London Olympics has appeared in court for an expletive-laden verbal spray at a parking officer on his morning patrol.

Luke Jackson, 37, of Coogee, pleaded guilty to a charge of intimidation to cause fear or physical harm to his victim; a Randwick City Council parking officer, and was sentenced at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

Documents tendered to court show about 9.15am on November 24 Jackson was parked in a “No Stopping” area, which led the council parking officer to stop his patrol to take photos of the car.

Court documents said the officer heard a man shout at him, calling him a “prick”, “c*nt” and “f**cking dog”.

Jackson yelled at the officer to “get a real job” and after an aggressive exchange which ended with the officer telling him to “enjoy your fine”, the parking officer got into his car, court documents said.

Jackson leaving Waverley Local Court.

Jackson then ran over to the council worker’s car and punched the window three times – with so much force the man inside could see it move and believed it would crack.

Court documents said the former Olympian then grabbed the handle of the car door and attempted to open it while the parking officer pulled it shut, leading Jackson to punch the car window another three times.

Luke Jackson (left) and Tyson Lantry compete during the Undercard fight on December 16, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images.

The parking officer returned to the council offices shaking and “extremely upset”, court documents said.

Jackson’s lawyer told the court the boxer had not used physical violence against the victim.

“It was not his intention to intimidate the victim,” he said.

“He told the police he doesn’t remember it being as aggressive” as police alleged, his lawyer told the court.

Jackson’s lawyer told the court the boxer had suffered from mental health issues in the past, and had taken steps to take charge of his mental health since the event.

Luke Jackson photographed outside his mother’s house. Picture: PATRICK GEE.

At the time the incident occurred, Jackson’s mother was terminally ill in Tasmania, however the Sydney man was not able to visit her due to Covid pandemic travel restrictions.

“This was an extremely difficult period in his life,” Jackson’s lawyer said.

Furthermore, the court heard the boxer’s mother passed away in November and Jackson did not respond to the police’s initial attempts to get in touch with him because he was out of the state managing her estate.

Jackson had now been sober for 18 months, the court heard.

The former Olympian volunteers with the Children to Champions boxing program at Woolloomooloo, and while he was currently working as a personal trainer hoped to register as a boxing coach in the near future.

Jackson was part of the Australian Olympic Boxing Team that represented Australia at the London Olympics in 2012. Back row L-R Johan Linde, Jesse Ross, Luke Jackson, Damien Hooper, Cameron Hammond and front row L-R Jeff Horn, Ibrahim Balla, Billy Ward, Jackson Woods and Jai Opetaia.

Jackson’s lawyer told the court the Sydney man had the support of his friends and family, including his partner who he had recently bought a property with.

Magistrate Derek Price convicted Jackson of intimidation to cause fear or physical harm and sentenced him to a 18 month community corrections order to be carried out in the community.

“The court recognises you have served your country,” Magistrate Price said and noted Jackson had the support of his friends and family.

However the magistrate warned that “there are consequences to [your] actions” that were particularly significant given the former Olympian’s activities as “a role model” for young people in the boxing community.