Melbourne crime: Douglas Gallagher, Micah Graham, Michael Bondarenko
Going off: Losers who lost it, riled-up road ragers, perps peeved at police or crooks crappy about doing prison time front court.
South East
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A “yeah, sweet” thief shadow-boxed as he was jailed, another crook shouted obscenities at a magistrate while others threatened to kill cops. A “unhinged” road rager had mummy control issues and one man painted poo pictures on cell walls using his toothbrush. These are among the anti-authority criminals to have faced southeast courts.
DOUG THE THUG
A sex-offending racist jailbird who bashed passers-by and called them “terrorists” in a hate-fuelled rage has gone ballistic 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 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.
The magistrate cut the link, saying his behaviour showed he had aggression issues, and deferred sentencing to a later date.
‘YEAH, SWEET’
This couldn’t care less crook obviously doesn’t give a toss about cops, court or the justice system in general.
Micah Graham seemed disinterested as he pleaded guilty to more than 30 theft, driving and deception-related charges during a curfew-busting crime spree.
The belligerent Noble Park 21-year-old folded his arms, pretended to shadow-box the air with his fists and repeatedly yawned as he was given 18 months’ jail.
Graham said “yeah, sweet” when told he must do a minimum of 12 months behind bars, and smiled as he said “alright, see ya” to the magistrate as he left the prison media room.
He had stolen cars, broken into vehicles taking wallets, bank cards and anything else of value, and then used stolen cards at servos to buy goods including energy drinks and cartons of milk.
He also tried to buy cigarettes, but was refused because he looked too young.
His defence lawyer said he had drug issues and he was easily led when he mixed with the wrong crowd, but he was “not beyond redemption”.
But the magistrate disagreed, saying his “prospects of rehabilitation do have some bleakness about them”.
Graham was jailed for 18 months with a non-parole period of 12 months.
He was also fined $2600 and banned from driving — although he doesn’t actually hold a licence — for 12 months to start when he was released from jail.
WHO’S THE GOOSE?
An angry ice addict upset at not being able to buy drugs has taken his frustration out on police by calling a sergeant “a goose” and “mutt” before threatening to “f***ing smash his head in”.
Michael Bondarenko went to an acquaintance’s home to score drugs but the woman who lived there said she didn’t have any.
He then went to his van, picked up a knife and a tyre iron and smashed a window and said he would “cut up” her family and burn down the home.
The Clayton 34-year-old cross crim was arrested and taken to a police station.
While being explained his bail conditions he clenched his fists and launched into a verbal tirade, calling the sergeant all manner of animal names and saying he knew where the officer lived.
Bondarenko has priors for assaulting PSOs, recklessly cause injury, affray, weapons, dangerous driving during a police pursuit and theft.
His defence lawyer said the carpenter had been unable to manage his emotions, “resulting in outbursts of violence”.
He was jailed for eight months with a community corrections order involving 160 hours of unpaid work and drug and anger management counselling. He was also fined $850.
THE DIRTY DAUBER
This creative crim doesn’t think too much of prison life — in fact he thinks it stinks.
The dirty dauber smeared cell walls with his faeces after being arrested for threatening to kill.
Zaher Alizada walked around his cell with two cups of “brown material” and was watched as he “used his toothbrush to paint pictures” on the walls.
The 29-year-old had been in custody awaiting a court hearing over an incident a few days before where he threatened to kill a man, who he hadn’t seen for years, if he didn’t let him into the home.
In a bag he had cocaine and prescription medication, and bank cards, a Medicare card and a driver’s licence — all stolen in an armed robbery — were found hidden in his pants.
His lawyer said Alizada was “incredibly embarrassed” and shocked by his odd behaviour.
The magistrate said the smearing of the cell was “disgraceful and distasteful” conduct.
She released him on time served of 65 days and ordered him to do a drug and mental health based corrections order.
‘SHUT UP MUM’
In a real-life version of the Russell Crowe movie “Unhinged”, a road rager not only loses the plot on the street — twice — he also couldn’t control himself in court.
Appearing virtually Ryan Willmott wasn’t happy when informed he would be banned from the road and have to do unpaid graft.
The drug-addled coke can thrower had tried to drag a female motorist out of her car and lashed out at his ex’s work ute.
The Mornington unemployed tiler whined when given community work and a licence ban because for some reason he thought he would get a slap on the wrist and walk away.
He huffed and puffed, looked visibly upset and shouted at his mother, who had turned up in the lawyer’s office to support him, telling her to “just shut up Mum”.
The magistrate said a random road rage attack on a stranger was simply not acceptable.
“That sort of behaviour is extremely concerning, it is of an unhinged nature,” he said, and said he would impose a short licence loss as part of a sentence.
When Willmott again began muttering and showing his displeasure, the magistrate said a “stroke of the pen” could fix that.
“Do you want (a) longer (ban), do you?” he said.
He then realised he was in a losing battle and meekly said: “thank you, your honour”, accepting the three-month ban.
He was also fined $500 and must do 50 hours of unpaid work and a men’s behaviour change program.
COP CUT KILL CALL
A 30-year alcoholic who has served 11 prison sentences threatened to kill a policewoman with a glass shard in yet another bizarre booze-fuelled crime.
Stephen Wheldon had only just got out of jail when he “lost the plot” again.
The 55-year-old was living with his brother but while his sibling was away he threw all the furniture onto the nature strip and smashed up their fridge and a window.
When police attended a very inebriated Wheldon confronted a female officer with a glass shard broken from the window.
He called her a “bitch” and said he was “going to kill her”.
Police called in back-up and he had to be sprayed three times before being subdued and taken to hospital.
He was arrested and bailed but only two weeks later he threw a cup at a bank window, causing almost $1000 in damage.
He then remained crime-free until he stole a bottle of port from a liquor store but unluckily for him police happened to be at the pub next door on an unrelated call-out.
His lawyer said jail had been a “revolving door situation” and alcohol had sadly affected his health, his relationships and his liberty.
The magistrate said it was obvious he was not able to cope with his drinking and he continually put people, including police, at risk.
He was jailed for a total of nine months, minus 55 days he has already served.
