The son of notorious crime figure Mark “Chopper” Read has been urged by a judge to get his life together after a joy ride involving drugs and guns earned the 25-year-old more jail time.
Charles Vincent Read disobeyed a police car’s flashing-light directive to pull over north of Hobart about 11.30pm on February 15, 2023.
He sped off and kept driving after the four tyres of his hatchback had been deflated by road spikes.
Read then veered onto a highway before going through a residential 50km/h zone at 80km/h.
He abandoned the car and fled but was found about 30 minutes later in a ditch affected by alcohol or drugs.
In sentencing in the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Wednesday, Justice Robert Pearce said Read hid a loaded bolt-action rifle and shortened rifle nearby.
Read was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
He was arrested by police and told officers he had been asleep in the car and someone else who was driving had knocked him out.
“These were obvious lies,” Justice Pearce said.
Read, who appeared via video link from Risdon Prison, was serving jail time for separate drug, driving, assault and breach of bail offences.
His lawyer Caroline Graves previously told the court Read had not used drugs since being in prison and wanted to remove himself from criminal ties.
Read’s father Mark, known colloquially as “Chopper”, died in 2013 and was the subject of a film in 2000 about his life and time in prison.
The court was told the junior Read suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from exposure as a child to trauma and a “high-level” criminal lifestyle and tried to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs.
“Your father’s notoriety has been a problem for you but the time has come to take responsibility for your own behaviour,” Justice Pearce said.
“Your behaviour while in prison has not been exemplary.”
Justice Pearce said Read had no explanation for having the loaded gun, which was unregistered, and his driving posed an obvious risk.
He had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and possessing unregistered guns and drugs.
He was sentenced to one year and nine months’ jail backdated to September and won’t be eligible for parole until serving half that time.
Read will be disqualified from driving for three years after his release.
