Jason Daniel Lewis pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to not following a police requirement

A sovereign citizen who refused to comply with police, and had no record of a licence, was dragged from his car after towing a caravan through the Roma CBD.

A man displaying “sovereign citizen behaviour” who was travelling through Roma towing a caravan had his matter heard before court after he refused to commit “fraud” by complying with police orders.

Jason Daniel Lewis pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to not following a police requirement.

Despite being issued with a notice to appear in court, Lewis didn’t attend and the matter was dealt with in his absence.

Police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said on June 22 police were patrolling the Roma CBD and conducting compliance checks when they intercepted a black Ford Territory towing a caravan along Bowen St.

The court was told when police asked the male driver for his licence, he replied with “absolutely not, I’m not a taxpayer.”

Mr Donnelly said police conducted checks and were unable to locate any evidence of a current Queensland or interstate licence.

“Police made a formal requirement to state his full and correct name,” Mr Donnelly said.

“He replied ‘that would be inducement to commit fraud wouldn’t it?’

Police then questioned the man as to whether he had been drinking alcohol, to which he replied he “did not drink”.

“He then asked police if there was something he could help with, police informed the defendant they were conducting compliance check particularly in line with his indication that he didn’t hold a licence,” Mr Donnelly said.

“He then continued, it’s illegal to use a legal name, so you can’t make me break the law. I’m governed by the ten commandments.

“I have no legal obligation, I refuse to commit fraud.”

Mr Donnelly said after initially refusing to submit to a roadside breath test, Lewis eventually complied and told police he would “offer no resistance of any form.”

“Police made a further requirement for him to state his full name and address, however he declined to do so and was arrested,” he said.

“Upon being informed of his arrest, police asked him to step out of the vehicle.

“He refused to do so, instead outstretched his arm indicating he required police to remove him from the vehicle, which they did.

“Following lodgement at the police station in Roma, he continued to contravene the requirement to state his name … (police retrieved his details) via existing police records from recent police interactions.

“He declined to acknowledge all documents and left them in the police establishment.

“He was subsequently intercepted in Dubbo as a result of which he was charged in relation with similar offences stemming from his sovereign citizen behaviour.”

Mr Donnelly said a photo they obtained of him confirmed his identity.

“That’s the reason we take fingerprints because some day down the track he’s going to say ‘that wasn’t me’ and also with the fingerprints he’ll say ‘they’re not my fingerprints’.”

The court was told Lewis has no prior criminal convictions in Queensland.

Magistrate Shane Elliott fined Lewis $550 referred to SPER.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Jason Daniel Lewis pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to not following a police requirement