Bike rider’s lack of helmet leads to conviction, fine

A BELLIGERENT “sovereign citizen” who refused to provide his name after he was busted riding a bicycle without a helmet begrudgingly pleaded guilty to two charges in a North Queensland court.

Clinton Phillip Marsh pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, June 16, to failing to wear an approved helmet and contravening a direction or requirement of police on May 3.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Erin Collis said Ingham Police warned Marsh about his lack of appropriate safety wear on Mcilwraith Street but he continued riding his bike until he was eventually stopped outside the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre on Townsville Rd at 4.40pm.

“The defendant refused to acknowledge that he was committing an offence and refused to state his name and address.”

She said Ingham Police gave Marsh multiple opportunities to state his name and address, but he continued to refuse “while displaying sovereign-citizen ideologies”.

“The defendant stated that ‘I don’t have to speak to you’ and because there was no victim, he had not committed an offence; the defendant was placed under arrest.”

Marsh, who was self-represented, said he “truly believed” that he was not committing an offence.

“I was told the road was the victim (after) I asked (police) who the victim was.”

He said that after he was arrested he acquiesced to being fingerprinted “under duress … because of police forcefulness”.

“I didn’t want to contract with them on the day but I’m here so we can stop wasting taxpayers’ money on this whole thing your honour,” he said. “I’ll plead guilty today so we can get on with our lives and get over it.”

Magistrate Scott Luxton said he was happy to oblige, noting that it was a legal requirement to provide police with a name and address when requested to do so.

Marsh was convicted and fined a total of $250.