Alexander James Oram spent two nights in Toowoomba’s watch house which was deemed penalty enough

The 19-year-old spent two nights in Toowoomba’s watch house before pleading guilty in the city’s Magistrates Court.

Two nights in the Toowoomba watch house was deemed penalty enough for an Upper Tent Hill teenager who pleaded guilty to a string of charges.

Alexander James Oram had failed to attend Gatton Magistrates Court in August and January but was picked up at the weekend by police and spent Saturday and Sunday night in the Toowoomba watch house, the city’s Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

The 19-year-old had been wanted on a charge of carrying a knife in public after being seen to have a large black handle knife tucked into his pants at the Gatton KFC on May 10, 2023, police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb told the court.

Toowoomba watch house

Oram claimed he had the knife for personal protection, he said.

The teenager had also poured a tin of purple paint onto Railway St, Gatton, on May 27, he said.

Oram pleaded guilty to all charges when he appeared via video link from the Toowoomba watch house on Monday.

His solicitor Kirsty Smith told the court these matters predated her client’s sentence in court on other matters last year and submitted there was an issue of “totality” in sentencing him.

Her client was on probation until September this year, she said.

Magistrate Clare Kelly noted Oram had similar offences in his criminal history but took into account the two nights spent in custody and convicted him with no further penalty.