‘He has an ideology’: Sovereign citizen Andrew Robert Paterson shoots at police from campsite

A ‘sovereign citizen’ who used a slingshot to shoot at police officers from his campsite has appeared in court on 30 charges, including swearing at fisheries officers and drunk driving.

Andrew Robert Paterson, 57, spent three nights sobering up and reflecting in the Townsville watch-house before representing himself in court.

A ‘sovereign citizen’ who used a slingshot to shoot at police officers from his campsite has appeared in court, pleading guilty to 30 crimes including serious assault of a police officer and dangerous conduct with a weapon.

Andrew Robert Paterson, 57, was camping in Happy Valley on Easter Monday when two police officers drove up to his campsite after he’d failed to attend a police station following a public nuisance offence at the Australian Hotel in South Townsville.

According to police prosecutor sergeant Tim Madsen, the officers had barely gotten out of the car before the transient fishing worker threatened them and they heard a ‘high pitched’ sound of a projectile being shot at them.

“(Paterson) told the officers ‘if you come any closer I will f**king shoot you’... they were attacked straight away,” Sgt Madsen said.

“This is serious. Police officers are entitled to go about their duties believing they can go home at night.”

Andrew Robert Paterson, 57.

In 2022, two Queensland Police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2022 by ‘sovereign citizens’ during a similar routine address check.

The officers sheltered behind their car and called in backup, while Paterson shot projectiles at the car.

When the backup patrol arrived, Paterson tried to flee on a pushbike but was “taken to the ground”, arrested, and placed in the Townsville watch-house.

The court heard Paterson identifies with the anti-social, quasi-evangelical beliefs of a ‘sovereign citizen’.

Magistrate Steven Mosch said Peterson’s offending could’ve been very serious if he had actually hit an officer.

Andrew Robert Paterson, during a separate appearance in Townsville Magistrates Court.

“I acknowledge Mr Paterson identified as a sovereign citizen and he has strong views about it. Some might argue it’s an intellectual disability,” Magistrate Mosch said, to which Paterson replied: “I find sovereign citizen to be an oxymoron, your honour.”

While addressing the Townsville Magistrates Court at his sentencing on Thursday, April 24, Mr Paterson admitted he had been drinking before the Easter Monday stand off with police.

“On Sunday my cat had been killed by a dingo and I hadn’t had a drink till that happened,” he said.

“If I wanted to hit them (the police) I would’ve... and I was there for some time watching them and they didn’t know I was there until I made myself obvious.”

Andrew Robert Paterson, 57, used to work as a commercial fishermen before his licence was cancelled after the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries took him to court in 2022.

The police stand off occurred after several months of pathetic and dangerous behaviour from Paterson, including public nuisance charges from the Australian Hotel (which he is banned from) three drink driving incidents, getting into a car crash and not providing his details, multiple unlicensed driving charges, and trespass and wilful damage offences from when he tried to claim the old Townsville Customs House as his by law.

Magistrate Steven Mosch said the Customs House incident was distressing for the person living there.

“In case you don’t know, many years ago (2002) the Commonwealth sold Customs House and someone lives there now,” Magistrate Mosch said.

Paterson’s attempts to take over Customs House involved him damaging a gate, damaging belongings, and swearing at the occupant.

A police search also located a knife in his bag and he was charged with possession of a knife in a public place.

Another of Paterson’s worst charges was a public nuisance incident on January 15 at Balgal Beach, where he threatened and swore at two fisheries officers conducting a patrol.

Magistrate Mosch said he was aware Paterson had a personal “gripe” with the fisheries department after they cancelled his commercial fishing licence, but his conduct was “foul and disgusting” towards the two workers.

“You caused enough alarm the officers weren’t willing to dock on the pontoon you were standing on,” Magistrate Mosch said.

“You threatened to remove them physically.”

Andrew Robert Paterson, 57, is currently unemployed but intended to go to Karumba to do seasonal fishing work. ‘The Gulf might be the best place to go for the next nine months,” Magistrate Mosch said.

Sgt Tim Madsen submitted that real jail time was needed for Paterson and suggested six to nine months.

Magistrate Mosch said because no police officers were actually harmed, and because Paterson had cooperated well with the court, he was willing to give the 57-year-old a three month prison sentence to be wholly suspended for nine months.

“That means if you keep out of trouble for nine months, you won’t hear anything further about this,” Magistrate Mosch said.

“I acknowledge you’ve been in the watch-house for three days, I wouldn’t like to be in the watch-house for three hours.”

Paterson also had his driving licence suspended for two years and was fined $3500.

Originally published as ‘He has an ideology’: Sovereign citizen Andrew Robert Paterson shoots at police from campsite