Adrian James Scanlon, 34, pleaded guilty to stealing two motorbikes off of Gumtree to fuel drug habit

A young father has left his mum to foot the bill for his mistakes after he pleaded guilty to stealing two motorcycles off a popular internet marketplace.

A Sheidow Park father was condemned by a magistrate after he left his 63-year-old mum with a $4000 bill after he stole two motorcycles worth $10,000.

Adrian James Scanlon, 34, shook his head at the Christies Beach Magistrate Court as Magistrate Susan O’Connor called him out for his behaviour and lack of remorse as he pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly taking property without consent.

Adrian James Scanlon pleaded guilty to stealing two motorcycles off of Gumtree in 2020. Pic: Facebook

A police prosecutor told the court on November 30, 2019 a Flagstaff Hill man advertised a Honda motorbike for an estimated price of $5400 when Scanlon messaged the victim to take a look at the bike.

“He said a male came to his address at Flagstaff Hill and was accompanied by another male,” she said.

“They took the bike for a test drive around the block and never returned.”

Magistrate O’Connor slammed the “cold” and deceptive behaviour.

“As far as the community goes, the worst type of offences are those when a person turns up to your house, charms you and then rips you off,” she said.

“You got that cold, calculated, ruthlessness all because you wanted to use drugs.’’

“As a result of doing that, not once but twice, they’re out of pocket and the only reason you are able to show you’re remorseful is by having your mother cough up the money to make good what you have done.

“How dare you become one of these people who put themselves outside of the law and rip people, who are too naive to see what you are doing, off.”

Police went to Scanlon’s residence where they located the black motorcycle with homemade number plates that were unassigned to the bike.

The prosecutor also told the court the engine numbers on the bike had been grinded off and disguised as another bike.

On March 29, 2020, police say Scanlon reached out to yet another Gumtree seller this time regarding a Kawasaki motorbike.

Adrian James Scanlon pleaded guilty to stealing two motorcycles off of Gumtree in 2020. Pic: Facebook

Scanlon went to the Woodcroft home, again accompanied by another male.

One of the men then took the bike for a test drive before saying it had broken down at a nearby service station.

When the victim arrived at the service station the bike and the two men were gone.

“I see cases like this every week and you have just joined a class of very unstable people who put addiction, cut corners, do the wrong thing by people above any other interest,” Magistrate O’Connor said.

“You show remorse by paying the compensation, not putting it on your mother.”

Scanlon was sentenced to three months and 24 days’ imprisonment, suspended on a 12 month good behaviour bond.

Scanlon paid a total of $4313 to the victims.