Out of jail and back in strife

A MAN released from custody last week after being found not guilty in a shooting trial has avoided being sent back to jail for using a fake name to book flights between Launceston and Melbourne.

Jacob Adam Williams, 28, was sentenced by Magistrate Simon Brown in Launceston on Tuesday after pleading guilty to using false identification information at a constitutional airport.

Williams flew from Launceston to Melbourne on January 8 using a boarding pass booked under the name “David West”.

While in Melbourne on January 9, he received a phone call from his partner saying she had been attacked and robbed in a home invasion.

He booked a flight home using his real name and began investigating the robbery himself. In the course of his investigation he was involved in an incident where a man was shot in the leg in Kings Meadows on January 11.

He was arrested and charged in the following days.

Airport CCTV was used to confirm Williams had flown to Melbourne on January 8 using the false identity. He was found not guilty of charges relating to the man being shot and released from custody last week after nine and a half months in prison.

Commonwealth Prosecutor David Sikk told Magistrate Brown the airport offence carried a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or a $10,200 fine.

Defence lawyer Evan Hughes

told the court Williams had flown to Melbourne to visit one of his children.

However, he did not provide an explanation as to why he used a false name.

He urged Magistrate Brown to take into account the time Williams had spent in custody for a charge from which he was “ultimately acquitted”.

Magistrate Brown said Williams’ “general record is a poor one” with relevant prior convictions. “Airport security must be protected,” he said.

“I don’t believe the time you have spent in custody is of relevance.”

Magistrate Brown said the sentence “must be a significant penalty” as a deterrent to him and the public.

He fined Williams $2500 and ordered him to pay $85.86 in court costs.