Clifford Bruce Wilson jailed for 32 counts of theft, eight bail breaches and an assault

A man who assaulted a Woolworths worker as he attempted to shoplift a basket full of meat has been jailed for a spate of crimes.

A serial thief has been jailed after a crime spree targeting Mount Gambier businesses.

Clifford Bruce Wilson, 36, appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court on Friday pleading guilty to 43 charges including 32 counts of theft, eight bail breaches and the most serious an assault.

The police prosecutor said Wilson attempted to steal a $200 basketful of meat from Woolworths before he assaulted a female worker who tried to stop him leaving the store by pushing her into the door on December 31.

He also outlined a string of thefts including fragrances from UFS Chemist and TerryWhite Chemmart, three bottles of spirits from South Eastern Hotel and Dan Murphy’s, a torch from Repco, electronics from Cash Zone and twice from Harvey Norman.

Clifford Bruce Wilson has been jailed for 43 charges including the theft of a $200 basketful of meat from Woolworths where he also assaulted a female worker. Picture: Dave Hunt

Wilson also stole $50 worth of gold coins from the Mount Gambier RSL, a bag from a car containing credit cards and used the cards of two different people to spend more than $800 each via paywave.

All bail breaches related to not reporting to the police station which led to his arrest on February 18.

Defence lawyer Jarrad Sim said the man had a good upbringing but started using drugs at 12 and had returned to the South East after his sister’s death to a life of couch-surfing.

“Drug use and life spiralled out of control after the sister was murdered in 2012,” Mr Sim said.

“In hindsight, he now realises that the use of more and more drugs was about self-medicating for his grief.”

Completely homeless, Wilson reached his lowest point last year and Mr Sim said his offending was both an attempt to survive and a plea for help – believing prison was his best chance to detox and receive mental health support.

“He was stealing to feed that habit but he was also stealing to eat,” he said.

After almost six months in custody, Mr Sims urged for any further term of imprisonment to be suspended saying Wilson was clean and had shown a genuine desire to turn his life around.

“This man clearly needs assistance when he’s released from prison,” he said.

“The community of Mount Gambier where he is offending is a much better place with Mr Wilson a rehabilitated person.”

Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis said his criminal history already included “significant penalties” for past thefts with his longest sentence of imprisonment being seven months.

While she said it was difficult to accept he would not return “a life of drugs, crime and homelessness” given his record she believed there was hope.

“You have pleaded guilty … there are many, many thefts, many breaches of bail and one charge of assault,” Magistrate Panagiotidis said.

She handed down a head sentence of 2 years and 6 months, reduced to 1 year, 8 months and imposed a non-parole period of 8 months both backdated for time served.

She declined to award compensation saying it was unlikely it would be paid.