Pizza delivery driver ‘threatened with machete’

Laine Clark | May 9, 2023

As a “joke”, William Robert Clevens threatened a pizza delivery driver with a machete.

When the woman entered a building complex with the pizza, Clevens emerged with the weapon and demanded money, Brisbane District Court was told on Tuesday.

The woman froze but delivered the pizza after Clevens said he was joking and didn’t mean to scare her.

The “bizarre” incident occurred during a string of offences committed by Clevens over almost six months from April 2020, some while on bail and on parole.

During the spree, Clevens broke into a house but was detected by a neighbour who closed the residence’s gates.

However, Clevens got in a car and accelerated through the gate and fence, causing extensive damage.

In the high-speed pursuit that followed, an unlicensed Clevens drove on the wrong side of the road and deliberately made contact with police vehicles.

He continued driving on the wheel rims after tyre deflation devices were used before crashing.

Clevens then ran away and tried to steal another car before he was arrested on a property’s roof.

In another incident, Clevens ran away from police when he was arrested and violently struggled with three officers when he was caught.

A Taser had to be used and his blood landed on an officer.

Placed in handcuffs in a police vehicle, Clevens ran from the car and was apprehended again.

Defence barrister Carl Martinovic said Clevens had turned to drugs after a “highly prejudicial upbringing” and provided a psychological report.

“He’s got a substance abuse problem. I don’t think I need a psychological report to know that,” Judge Vicki Loury said.

Mr Martinovic said the report detailed the impact drugs would have had on the frontal lobe of Clevens’ brain while he was an adolescent.

“That therefore leads to impulse control problems which we clearly see throughout his whole life where he has spent at least 85 to 90 per cent of his adult life in custody,” he said.

At one stage Clevens stood up to greet a family member who had entered court.

“I’m sorry, what does your client think he is doing? Mr Clevens sit down,” Judge Loury said.

Clevens replied: “Your Honour I have been in jail for nearly three years”.

“You are not helping yourself Mr Clevens,” Judge Loury said.

Clevens, 40, has spent two years and eight months in pre-sentence custody.

Wearing handcuffs, Clevens pleaded guilty to a string of offences including dangerous operation of a vehicle.

He was sentenced to three years in jail, to be immediately released on parole with eight months spent in custody declared time served.

“You are losing large chunks of your life (in prison) and important relationships with your family because of your choice to use drugs,” Judge Loury said.

“So take the support that you can … and choose your children over drugs for perhaps the first time in your life.”

Clevens was also disqualified from driving for six months.