Douglas Gallagher: Bigoted brute goes ballistic in online court hearing
A thieving thug facing being sentenced over Dandenong “terrorist” racist rant hasn’t helped his cause by going crazy in court.
South East
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A sex-offending racist jailbird who bashed passers-by and called them “terrorists” in a hate-fuelled rage has gone berserk during an online court case.
Douglas Gallagher abused the magistrate, gestured obscenities and kicked and punched prison walls and windows before the video link was cut.
As well as attacking innocent people in a Dandenong street he also stole a tip jar from a cafe, burgled a bottle shop, nicked booze and breached the sex offender’s register.
The unemployed Narre Warren East 33-year-old has a shocking violence and thieving rap sheet, having spent eight of the past 10 years behind bars.
Gallagher pleaded guilty to 11 assault, theft, burglary, drug and sex offender’s register breach offences at the online Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He also admitted breaching a community corrections order imposed for similar offending.
The court heard at 7pm on September 28 last year Gallagher was standing on a footpath in Thomas St, Dandenong yelling racist abuse at people walking by.
One man took umbrage and punched Gallagher to the ground, but he got back up and continued his tirade, telling passers-by they were “terrorists” and to “go back to their own country”.
He then walked over to stationary cars and tried to punch passengers and drivers, hitting one man repeatedly in the face and leaving him with a cut lip.
He left but was later found at a Berwick COVID-19 checkpoint in the passenger seat of a car with a bloody face and bruised hands.
During September last year he failed to report to Sex Offender’s Register officers that he was living in a Dandenong motel and had a new phone number, breaching an order put in place in 2016 for sex crimes.
In January this year he stole bottles of booze from a Cranbourne North BWS and was caught in possession of ice.
In February he burgled a Sunshine liquor store, stealing $1500 worth of grog, and a day later walked into a Docklands cafe and nicked a tip jar, a biscuit and two energy drinks.
He was caught by a passing police patrol and remanded in custody.
His defence lawyer said her client, who had been effectively homeless, had suffered an acquired brain injury from a serious car accident, had not worked since 2009 and had issues with cannabis and amphetamine abuse.
She said he did not allow medical professionals to assess him so she was unable to tender a psychiatric report.
Gallagher piped up and told the court he attacked people in the street because he had been assaulted first and was defending himself.
When advised he should let his lawyer speak for him he lost the plot, jumping up and going berserk.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso cut the link, saying his behaviour showed he had aggression issues, and his medical refusals did not help his cause.
“I don’t dispute there may be an ABI but there is a real need to protect the community (from him).”
Gallagher was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on May 3.
