Zachery James Hook, 19, has been given a year to pay the penalty for offensive behaviour after leaving stickers at Indigenous and Black, Indigenous and People of Colour facilities at the Australian National University, the ACT Magistrates Court heard on Friday, October 30.
Magistrate James Lawton said the stickers had been placed "in a targeted manner" and that the sentence needed to denounce Hook's conduct and deter him in the future, The Canberra Times reported.
Hook previously pleaded guilty to rolled-up counts of offensive behaviour and performing a Nazi salute in a public place. The offences involved stickers placed on campus in August and September 2025, followed by public salutes between October and December that year.
The stickers contained the insignia of a known neo-Nazi group and white nationalist slogans. Hook left them at the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre and the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour building.
In a victim impact statement read to the court last month, an ANU professor responsible for the wellbeing and support of Indigenous students said the conduct had "disrupted a sense of safety".
"When material is deliberately placed around the university campus ... the consequences extend beyond the stickers themselves," she said.
"The colour of a person's skin or their cultural identity should never be a reason for them to feel unsafe and unwelcome."
A pre-sentence report identified social media as an influence on the formation of the views underlying Hook's behaviour. Lawton said it was "troubling that he did not necessarily resile from, or demonstrate a change, in views" since his arrest.
The separate salute offence involved conduct in front of members of the public at the O'Connor and Chisholm shops.
Lawton said the salute charge was committed to the Supreme Court because of what he described as "somewhat unusual circumstances". It carries a mandatory minimum of one year's imprisonment, while the maximum penalty available to the Magistrates Court is also one year. He said the lower court therefore did not have "jurisdiction to impose an adequate penalty".
The case was listed in the Supreme Court to set a sentencing date in November.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The victim impact statement describes harm extending beyond the stickers themselves, particularly to Indigenous students' sense of safety on campus.
- The salute offence highlights a sentencing constraint: its mandatory minimum prison term matches the maximum available in the Magistrates Court.
Background
Magistrates courts and supreme courts have different sentencing powers. Committing an offence to a higher court for sentence is distinct from determining guilt. Hook has already pleaded guilty to both offences.
Key Perspectives
Magistrate James Lawton: Said the placement was targeted, the sentence needed to denounce and deter the conduct, and Hook's apparent lack of changed views was troubling.
ANU professor: Said the actions disrupted a sense of safety and urged Hook to consider their impact on others and his future direction.
What to Watch
- The November Supreme Court listing, when a sentencing date is to be set.
- The sentence imposed for the Nazi-salute offence, which carries a mandatory minimum of one year's imprisonment.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedHook was fined $5,000 over white supremacist stickers at ANU.The Canberra Times - News: “A teenager who left white supremacist stickers at the Australian National University has been fined $5000”
- SupportedThe separate Nazi-salute charge was committed to the ACT Supreme Court for sentence.The Canberra Times - News: “Due to what magistrate James Lawton described as "somewhat unusual circumstances" the Nazi salute charge was committed to the ACT Supreme Court.”
- SupportedHook was 19 and appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, October 30.The Canberra Times - News: “Zachery James Hook, 19, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, October 30.”
- SupportedHook was given one year to pay the $5,000 fine for offensive behaviour.The Canberra Times - News: “However, the magistrate did fine Hook $5000 with one year to pay for the offensive behaviour charge.”
- SupportedThe stickers were placed at the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre and the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour building in August and September 2025, and contained neo-Nazi insignia and white nationalist slogans.The Canberra Times - News: “In August and September 2025, Hook left numerous stickers that contained the insignia of a known neo-Nazi group, and white nationalist slogans, at the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre and the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour building at ANU.”
- SupportedLawton said the stickers had been placed "in a targeted manner".The Canberra Times - News: “Mr Lawton said it was "obvious he engaged in an offensive manner" and the stickers had been placed "in a targeted manner".”
- SupportedAn ANU professor said Hook's actions had "disrupted a sense of safety" in a victim impact statement read to the court.The Canberra Times - News: “In a victim impact statement read last month, an ANU professor said she was responsible for the wellbeing and support of Indigenous students at the university and Hook's actions had "disrupted a sense of safety".”
- SupportedThe professor said, "When material is deliberately placed around the university campus ... the consequences extend beyond the stickers themselves,".The Canberra Times - News: “"When material is deliberately placed around the university campus ... the consequences extend beyond the stickers themselves," she said.”
- SupportedThe professor said, "The colour of a person's skin or their cultural identity should never be a reason for them to feel unsafe and unwelcome."The Canberra Times - News: “"The colour of a person's skin or their cultural identity should never be a reason for them to feel unsafe and unwelcome."”
- SupportedLawton said it was "troubling that he did not necessarily resile from, or demonstrate a change, in views" since his arrest.The Canberra Times - News: “Mr Lawton said it was "troubling that he did not necessarily resile from, or demonstrate a change, in views" since being arrested.”
- SupportedLawton described the circumstances for committing the Nazi-salute charge as "somewhat unusual".The Canberra Times - News: “Due to what magistrate James Lawton described as "somewhat unusual circumstances" the Nazi salute charge was committed to the ACT Supreme Court.”
- SupportedLawton said the Magistrates Court did not have "jurisdiction to impose an adequate penalty".The Canberra Times - News: “Mr Lawton said that as a result the lower court did not have "jurisdiction to impose an adequate penalty".”