1 week Ago By Grace Crivellaro
A magistrate has thrown out a grub's "implausible" claim that he was fossicking for cash down his pants when he was brazenly masturbating in front of families on a busy South Coast train. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading Joe Reginald Carriage fought the disturbing allegations in a hearing at Wollongong Local Court in August, pleading not guilty to carrying out a sexual act without consent and two counts of common assault.
However on Monday, the 44-year-old was found guilty of all three offences stemming from the fateful train trip from Bomaderry to Kiama on February 14. The court heard a female passenger notified train staff after she saw Carriage exposing himself and masturbating in front of families and children. "It was in full view of the complainant but it was the evidence it was also a packed carriage," Magistrate Michael Love said.
When giving evidence, Carriage told the court he wasn't self-pleasuring, and was actually fishing out $50 notes which he stored down the front of his pants before counting it on his lap. He said it was safer to keep cash down the front of his pants rather than his pockets. "I always keep my money there, I grew up on the streets," he said.
"It's the safest place to put my money, been robbed too many times." The magistrate dismissed this claim, stating Carriage concocted the version after being sprung. "It is simply implausible that while being concerned of being robbed he would take out close to $1000 and openly count it .
.. I dismiss this evidence.
" Three train staff responded after the woman alerted them to Carriage, including the driver. Carriage was found guilty of lashing out and pushing one of the employees twice in the chest, and headbutting, striking and spitting on the others. "I'm gonna kill youse white c---s," Carriage told them.
One employee asked Carriage why he kept cash down his pants, to which he responded by again pulling his genitalia out of his pants. "I said 'What's going on?' and he said, 'I'm just getting money out of my pants.' I said, 'Why would you have money in your pants when you have pockets?'," the employee told the court of the incident.
"He pulled his shorts down and touched his genitals in front of me. "He got a bit hostile ..
. at this point he said, 'I just want to get my bag and get off'. I said 'You aren't going anywhere because police have been called'.
" Magistrate Love said Carriage had a "disturbing" criminal history with similar offending before sentencing him to 18 months' jail, with a non-parole period of nine months. Defence lawyer Lewis Etheredge submitted his client had been participating in voluntary drug programs while in custody and had a background of disadvantage and deprivation. With time already served, Carriage will be eligible for release next month.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury. Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury. More from Court and Crime Newsletters & Alerts DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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