Jackson Alexander Simpson sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for string of offences
A Townsville man who terrorised shoppers for hours continued his sick act after he was taken into custody.
A Townsville man was caught masturbating at a shopping centre and didn’t stop even after he was arrested.
Jackson Alexander Simpson appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday via video link from Townsville Watchhouse.
The court was told Simpson was lying on a mattress outside Garbutt Shopping Centre when he began to touch himself with his genitalia exposed.
He continued to masturbate for three hours, until a passer-by found him and told him to stop, which he refused.
Police prosecutor Shania Thomas said the 29-year-old’s behaviour did not stop, even after he was arrested.
“He continued to masturbate even whilst being in police custody,” she said.
The court heard the incident was just one in a string of nuisance and assault offences, with Simpson assaulting a number of people at the same shopping centre less than a month prior.
Ms Thomas said Simpson threatened a woman outside a tobacco store, saying “I know what you did,” and threatening to “bash her and her man.”
When a man, believed to be the first woman’s partner, approached Simpson later about the incident, Simpson began shouting and raising his fists, before he swung his fist hitting the man on the back of the head.
The altercation continued and Simpson swung his fists at a number of persons, including a security guard and off-duty police officer, before he was arrested.
On another occasion Simpson was seen at the same shopping centre threatening shoppers, saying he would “stab you c-nts” with knives and needles, which he initially denied in an interview with police.
He claimed the informant was being “racist” by reporting him.
The court heard Simpson has a history of indecent act offences, with three entries on his criminal history being for previous public masturbation charges.
Simpson’s lawyer said his client lives with paranoid schizophrenia and a behavioural disorder, and was off his medication at the time of offending.
“When he’s not medicated, he relapses,” he said.
“Since he’s been in custody he’s been able to return to his medication.”
Simpson pleaded guilty to one count assault police officer, three counts common assault, two counts commit public nuisance, one count trespass, one count indecent act in a public place, one breach of bail and two fail to appear.
Magistrate Richard Lehmann handed him a 188 day sentence and immediate parole, as time in pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.
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Originally published as Jackson Alexander Simpson sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for string of offences
