SA man who wore Nazi uniform to McDonald's outlet avoids jail
The 20-year-old Adelaide man shared almost 100 public posts with Nazi symbols to a messaging platform and rehearsed a speech at a fast-food outlet while dressed in a Nazi uniform.
A 20-year-old Adelaide man, Heath Duke, avoided jail time after wearing a Nazi uniform to a McDonald's outlet in the city. Duke pleaded guilty to 16 counts of using Nazi symbols or salutes. The court heard that police identified 97 public posts containing Nazi symbols that Duke shared on Telegram between February and April this year.
On May 25, Duke attended McDonald's in Collinswood, where he worked, dressed in a Nazi uniform with swastikas. Witnesses observed him speaking German and rehearsing a speech, and one reported feeling concerned that he might harm someone. Police later found the uniform and a large Nazi flag at his home. Duke breached a bail condition by accessing social media through a different account and posting content glorifying Hitler.
The court heard that Duke, who has autism, suffered from loneliness and held extreme right-wing beliefs. His defense lawyer stated that Duke identifies with convicted criminal Thomas Sewell and wished to advocate for him politically. Magistrate Kossiavelos acknowledged Duke's behavior as unacceptable but believed that rehabilitation could prevent future offenses, noting his clean criminal record.
She also suggested that Duke restart his ADHD medication. The judge extended leniency, granting Duke a two-year good behavior bond and no conviction, while also banning him from social media for two years.
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