Jay Bainbridge: Teen spared jail after scrawling swastika in Perth CBD as he claims no longer a neo-Nazi

A 19-year-old who graffitied racist and neo-Nazi material around the Perth CBD has avoided an immediate term of imprisonment after pleading guilty to four charges against him. Perth Magistrates Court was told on Thursday that Jay Bainbridge committed the offences in June, including tagging “14-88,” which is a white supremacist symbol, and a swastika outside Kmart. He also wrote “f... off we’re full” “ban n....s not machetes,” “white power,” and a swastika outside an Asian food store in the city. Bainbridge declined a police interview but told officers: “Australia’s immigration rate needs to slow the f... down,” Of the other incident — and for acting as look-out while his mate tagged a store in the city with the word “perverted f..ks” — Bainbridge said he thought it was “funny.” His defence lawyer said he’d had a horrific upbringing, in and out of foster homes, but he fell in with a far-right group, which had approached him and made him feel wanted. The magistrate accepted this submission but labelled his actions “extremely offensive,” particularly to the Jewish community and people with refugee backgrounds. Bainbridge was sentenced to seven months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months with supervision and program requirements. He must also undertake 60 hours of unpaid community work. Bainbridge declined to comment to media outside court as he briskly walked away. His lawyer submitted that since being charged, he had turned his back on far-right influences and claimed he never held those ideologies.