Jonathon Cooke, ex-Sea World stuntman, was so scared of bikies he agreed to sell them guns

An ex-Sea World jetski stuntman was so terrified of a bikie he agreed to go along with a convoluted plot, a court was told. Find out what the judge said.

Jonathon Andrew Cooke, wearing a hat and mask, leaves Southport District Court.

An ex-Sea World jetski stuntman was so terrified of a bikie he agreed to go along with a convoluted plot to hand over three guns through a fake theft, a court was told.

Jonathon Andrew Cooke left the handguns in his car and arranged for Mongols gang member Nathan Avery to steal the car, the Southport District Court was told.

Cooke, 45, was supposed to get payment for the guns when they were “stolen” on August 15, 2019.

He never received a cent.

The dad pleaded guilty to unlawful supply of a weapon.

Jonathon Andrew Cooke, wearing a hat and mask, leaves Southport District Court.

It was the first time he had been in trouble with the law.

Judge Suzanne Sheridan on Friday sentenced Cooke to three years’ prison to be wholly suspended for three years.

She also ordered he be banned from holding a weapons licence for five years.

“By your actions you facilitated the supply of weapons to others thereby leading the circulation of in the community of those weapons,” she said.

“The circulation of weapons, particularly in the hands of those involved in crimes, is an inherent threat to public safety.”

Jonathon Andrew Cooke, wearing a hat and mask, leaves Southport District Court.

Judge Sheridan said she accepted that Cooke acted out of fear. During the court sentencing, Cooke burst into tears a number of times. When he left the courthouse he donned a hat and mask, obscuring his face.

The court was told Cooke ran a jetski stunt company and also sold jetski parts.

Cooke was introduced to Avery to sell him jetski parts.

The court was told he later found out Avery was a member of a bikie gang.

Crown prosecutor Paul Kay told the court Avery allegedly approached Cooke with the idea to buy weapons Cooke owned but to make the trade look like a theft.

The court was told Cooke, who was a member of the Gold Coast Pistol Club, left the guns in his car and gave his spare keys to Avery on August 15, 2019.

Cooke then reported the vehicle as stolen.

Jonathon Andrew Cooke, wearing a hat and mask, leaves Southport District Court.

The guns were later recovered and Cooke was charged in August last year.

Mr Kay said the guns had fallen into the hands of “undesirable people”.

“This type of offending is a real threat to public safety,” he said.

“Weapons on the black market can end up untraceable and in the hands of criminals.”

Defence barrister Matt Hynes, instructed by Allen & Searing Lawyers, said Cooke had acted out of fear.

“What we paint is a picture of a man who has done something stupid,” he said.

Mr Hynes said since the incident Cooke had suffered a number of mental health issues.

“I don’t think there is a punishment that you could place on him that would send a better specific deterrent than that he has already felt,” he said.

Mr Hynes described Cooke as a “true, fair and gentle” man.