David Russell Walls: Man found guilty of assaulting Geraldton ranger who woke him sleeping in camper van

A man in his 40s has been fined and granted a spent conviction after standing trial for assaulting a Geraldton ranger who woke him up while he was illegally camped in his vehicle in Point Moore. David Russell Walls, 49, represented himself during a trial in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on Monday for assaulting a public officer in West End. He was found guilty of the assault and received a fine and a spent conviction. On Saturday, June 3, Geraldton rangers found Walls asleep in his camper van by in a carpark near Explosives Beach in Point Moore after a member of the public who walked regularly in the area contacted them concerned for her safety. The court was told two rangers heard him snoring and woke him by banging on the van three times. Walls woke on the third bang and exited the van with his pet dog. Rangers requested he move on because he was camping illegally and Walls became aggressive, telling one of the officers “f... off”, “you’re a tough c... hey” and “I should f...ing hit you”. Walls followed the rangers as they retreated and struck one of them in the chest with an open palm in a shoving motion. During cross-examination, Walls asked if the ranger remembered two previous occasions when he had spoken to the rangers about his car breaking down and struggling with homelessness, but his questions were dismissed because they were not relevant to the assault. Walls told the court he became aggressive when the ranger said he would seize the dog and his van, but the ranger denied that was said. Walls was convicted on Monday afternoon and fined $800 plus prosecution costs. He was granted a spent conviction.