Chopper Read’s son Charles Vincent Read pleads guilty to dozens of guns and drugs charges
The son of notorious standover man Mark “Chopper” Read has pleaded guilty to dozens of guns, drugs and stealing charges – but he’ll still face the Supreme Court later this year.
Police & Courts
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The son of notorious standover man Mark “Chopper” Read has pleaded guilty to dozens of guns, drugs and stealing charges.
Charles Vincent Read, 24, appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Tuesday after a police chase in February this year.
Read previously pleaded not guilty to dozens of the 58 charges levelled against him – but has now accepted responsibility to 49 of the charges in the hopes he will be deemed suitable for court mandated diversion.
Diversion programs allow courts to order offenders get treatment for drug use in the community rather than an immediate jail term.
Some of Read’s list of charges include evading police in aggravated circumstances, shortening a firearm, burglary, possessing ammunition without a licence, selling a controlled drug, and assaulting a police officer.
However, Read, through his barrister Caroline Graves, maintained a not guilty plea to a count of aggravated assault, which is not a charge eligible for diversion.
He has also not yet entered pleas to several other charges, including aggravated burglary and several more firearms charges.
On Tuesday, Magistrate Chris Webster warned Read – who is currently in custody – that if he was deemed not suitable for diversion, he could face prison.
Read will return to the magistrates court at a later date, following an assessment for diversion.
He will face the Supreme Court of Tasmania for the aggravated assault charge on November 20.
In addition, Read previously entered a not guilty plea to a charge of dangerous driving, which will be heard in the Supreme Court in October.
The vehicle was spiked as it drove through Bridgewater, with police finding the car abandoned at Pontville cemetery a short time later.
Police searched the car and found ammunition and drugs, believed to be ice.
A further investigation uncovered a number of guns and more drugs.
Later, while on bail and in separate instances, Read again evaded police, stole a car, and repeatedly breached his bail and bail conditions.
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