Judge’s shock decision as Paul Hogan’s son makes international mercy dash to save the Hollywood star’s drug addict grandson from jail

The family of Crocodile Dundee hero Paul Hogan made a last-minute trip to Australia to bail the Hollywood star’s drug-addicted grandson out of jail as he appeared in court.

Jake Paul Hogan, 34, was convicted of breaking into apartment buildings ‘to fuel his high-level drug use’ and breaching an apprehended violence order to protect a woman he allegedly terrorized.

His New Zealand-based father, Todd Hogan, flew to the hearing with Jake’s sister, Lana, at Downing Center Local Court in Sydney on Wednesday.

And the international final blow won over the judge in the case, who let Jake walk free from prison after being held in custody without bail since March 13.

The screen legend’s troubled grandson wiped a tear from his eye and sobbed softly after being told he could be released later on Wednesday afternoon.

During the hearing, Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund told Jake’s father and sister to move to an area of ​​the court where they could be seen by Jake, who appeared from prison via AVL.

Ms Freund said she was more inclined to release Jake from behind bars because of the family’s show of force and Todd Hogan’s promise to come back and live in Australia while his son served a community order.

“I think it’s huge that he has his father here,” said the senior magistrate, “he definitely has the opportunity to turn his life around.

“This is a young man who needs scaffolding.”

Jake looked very thin, had a beard and mustache and close-cropped hair, and kept his head down for most of the hearing.

The magistrate said the 34-year-old had no previous previous criminal record.this sudden escalation of violations’.

The former tradie was convicted of breaking into apartment buildings ‘to fuel his high-level drug use’ and breaching an apprehended violence order against a woman he allegedly terrorized.

“He’s sober now and basically has support in the community. I would be prepared to issue an ICO (Intensive Corrections Order),” Ms Freund said.

‘He has spent 57 days in custody… shown remorse through an early guilty plea, shown insight into his drug problems.

‘I note that this life was extremely difficult for you at the time and that you fell into a spiral of drug use, were homeless and struggled to see light at the end of the tunnel from the hole you were in.

“Dad had a hard time getting in touch with you Mr Hogan, you are incredibly lucky to have support, Dad was willing to stay here in Sydney.

“To reassure you, you will be released today.”

After softly saying “thank you,” Jake began to quietly cry.

Jake was sentenced to a nine-month ICO on two charges of goods in custody, one of breaching a warrant and one of theft and possession of burglary tools.

He was ordered to attend drug rehab and counseling and to abstain from alcohol and drugs.

The magistrate sternly warned him if he breached the terms of his ICO that he could go back to prison, ‘and no one wants that’.

Todd Hogan will be able to pick up his son from prison, believed to be Silverwater Detention Center in Sydney’s west.

Todd, one of Paul Hogan’s five children with his first wife, Noelene, arrived in Australia several days ago from New Zealand, where he lives with his second wife.

Jake previously had a nice house, a car, a stable job and a girlfriend he hoped to marry.

But he became a homeless drug addict, sleeping in abandoned buildings and stealing clothes and bicycles to sell.

He lost his friends and became estranged from his family, cycling around high on the ice for hours every day, making tearful phone calls to the few people who hadn’t abandoned him.

A former acquaintance revealed that Jake was traumatized by a family tragedy that occurred long before he went to prison for threatening a woman and stealing to fund his drug habit.

Jake’s mother, Marie, had suffered a “very sad” decline in the weeks leading up to her death from multiple sclerosis, when Jake was 17 years old in 2006.

After her death, Paul Hogan left his own grace from California — where he lived with his second wife Linda Kozlowski and their infant son, Chance — to attend his daughter-in-law’s funeral.

Todd eventually remarried nurse Jane, and Jake remained in Sydney and seemed to live a normal and largely blameless life until he began a relationship with a young mother named Rachel Young.

Jake had some substance abuse problems, but when his relationship ended and his hopes for a family of his own disappeared, he “became seriously addicted to drugs that completely took over his life.”

Jake was caught earlier this year when he broke into several luxury blocks after ‘shamelessly hanging out’ outside, according to police.

According to a police statement of facts, Jake could clearly be seen breaking into an apartment building in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont.

Police later found him with Trojan brand wire cutters, a black flashlight, Allen wrenches and an adjustable wrench.

Jake also breached a domestic violence arrest warrant five days after it was removed by a woman by texting her the word ‘DOG’ while she was in Prince of Wales Hospital.

The woman then received a further 42 calls from various payphones over four hours as she lay in her hospital bed with him, either ‘crying on the phone… or getting very angry and shouting’.

Instead of working in his profession, courts heard how Jake carried burglary tools and prowled outside posh apartment blocks looking for opportunities to steal.

Jake’s acquaintance said he “wasn’t a bad person, but he was completely lost.” He never came to terms with his mother’s death. So he has real abandonment issues.

“He’s actually a good person with a very friendly personality and a supportive family,” the person said.

‘He was still so angry about his mother’s death. He never got over it because he never dealt with it properly.”