‘Self-fulfilling prophecy’: Chopper Read’s son Charlie jailed over long list of offences

The tragic life of Mark “Chopper” Read’s son has been laid bare as he was jailed over a long list of offences, with the court told “his personality attracts the good, the bad and the ugly”.

Charlie Read, son of Chopper Read, leaving the Hobart Magistrates’ Court in 2022. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Tasmanian son of notorious standover man Mark “Chopper” Read has been jailed over a long list of offences – with a lawyer noting his strong personality had attracted “the good, the bad and the ugly”.

Charles Vincent Read, 24, will spend 15 months in jail – backdated to June this year – after pleading guilty to a raft of stealing, burglary and drugs charges, plus one charge for headbutting a police officer.

In the Hobart Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, lawyer Caroline Graves said he regularly visited his dad interstate until the infamous criminal died from an illness when Read was only 14.

“That had a traumatic effect on his life,” she said.

“He did start to use substances … including methamphetamine from that time, and some of that was intravenous drug use.”

Charles Read has been sentenced to 15 months’ jail. Picture: Facebook

Ms Graves said Read, who also started using cannabis and MDMA from age 14, reported most of his offending had involved drug use.

She said he was expelled from The Hutchins School in grade 9 after suffering “bullying and notoriety there”, but had gone on to an industrious life, working in concreting and other trades – before a “suite of offending” that escalated earlier this year.

“This is not about blaming the sins of the father, but this could be a self-fulfilling prophecy,” she said.

Magistrate Chris Webster quipped that perhaps Read would be better suited to acting and performance, like his late father.

“While there’s life, there’s hope and I think Mr Read would do better with a (talent) agent than a defence lawyer for his future,” Ms Graves replied.

“He does have a personality – and that does probably attract the good, the bad and the ugly for the people who want to attach to him.”

Read's father, known as "Chopper", died in 2013. Picture: Facebook

She added Read was remorseful for his crimes, had family support, and had felt the “full force” of spending a prolonged period in custody.

The court heard Read’s current offending – to which he pleaded guilty – began in the early hours of December 13 last year, when he and another person broke into the Ampol service station at Richmond, stealing about $7000 worth of cigarettes and a $500 float from the till.

On New Year’s Eve, he was busted by police with a glass pipe at Rokeby after reports of a young male running around with a harpoon gun, who was “generally scaring the public”.

In January this year, one of Read’s friends told a man at Mornington: “do you know Chopper Read’s son? He’s coming up to see you”.

When Read arrived, the pair verbally abused the man and kicked in his door, falsely accusing him of being a pedophile.

The same month, Read was found in possession of a stolen motorcycle – a $6000 bike he said he’d only paid $500 for.

In April, his DNA was found on the right driver’s side door handle of a car that had been stolen at Richmond.

Read evaded police at Sorell in May after he was allegedly spotted following a person with a bat, becoming abusive when he was handcuffed.

In July, he headbutted a police officer at Sorell after he was found breaching his bail conditions.

Read pleaded guilty to burglary, aggravated burglary, stealing, unlawful possession of property, possessing ammunition without holding a firearms licence, possessing a dangerous article in a public place and possessing a thing to administer a controlled drug.

He also pleaded guilty to motor vehicle stealing, evading police, assaulting a police officer, breaching bail and possessing a controlled plant or its products.

On top of his active jail term, Mr Webster gave him a total suspended period of six months and six weeks, and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.

Originally published as ‘Self-fulfilling prophecy’: Chopper Read’s son Charlie jailed over long list of offences