Alleged liquor thief accused of exposing himself in supermarket says he has 'no common sense'

An alleged liquor store thief accused of exposing himself to staff inside a supermarket said he had “no common sense” when he was granted bail.

“This is so stupid. I’m a grown man. I’ve got no common sense,” Darren Douglas Sumner told the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (9 January).

He had allegedly gone to the Coles supermarket at the Wanniassa shops on Monday morning (8 January) where he began to verbally abuse staff, who asked him to leave.

It is alleged he returned a short time later, stood at the front entrance, pulled down his pants and exposed his genitals to a number of staff members.

Court documents allege he “began swinging his genitals around in a circular motion at the Coles staff” before leaving.

Not long after, Sumner allegedly went into the Beer Wine Spirits store at the Kambah shops and stole a bottle of rum, a bottle of vodka and one of Southern Comfort, valued at $166.

Just minutes later, police pulled him over as he was driving in Kambah and he tested positive for alcohol. A blood alcohol content test reportedly gave a reading of 0.18 grams.

The 62-year-old was handed charges of indecent exposure, minor theft and drink driving when he faced the Magistrates Court.

He wore socks and thongs in the courtroom and when Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker told him he could go to prison if convicted of his charges, he gave her a ‘thumbs down’ sign with his hand.

Sumner applied for bail and his lawyer, Ketinia McGowan of Legal Aid, said he admitted he had a problem with alcohol consumption and the recent allegations against him reflected someone who had “fallen off the wagon”.

He had been sober for five years before he relapsed in 2023, she said, but she thought that once his alcohol use was addressed then the likelihood of his reoffending would drop significantly. He wanted to stay sober, she said.

The prosecutor, who opposed bail, said Sumner had already been granted bail on 3 January over unrelated allegations before being arrested for these current ones.

He added there was a concern Sumner would harass Coles staff again.

Chief Magistrate Walker told Sumner there was a strong case against him and he had allegedly “put some people through the wringer”.

“If I’m to bail you, something radical has to change,” she said.

Bail was granted with conditions that included accepting treatment by a drug and alcohol service, applying for a place in a detox facility and not being near the Wanniassa or Kambah shops or any BWS.

The matter was adjourned to Thursday (11 January). No pleas were entered.