Nathan Barry Lutton jailed for DJ Interiors cash register theft and assault

Losing his mum’s rent on a gambling spree led to a man running amok down Mount Gambier’s main drag, stealing from a business and beating up an innocent bystander.

A desperate man blew all his money on the pokies including his mum’s rent before attempting to walk out of a main street Mount Gambier store with its cash register.

Nathan Barry Lutton then beat up the member of the public who restrained him as he fled DJ Interiors, only for the altercation to be broken by the victim’s 83-year-old father.

Appearing at the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court on Tuesday, Lutton had previously pleaded guilty to theft and assault for the August 17 attack and five subsequent breaches of bail.

Nathan Barry Lutton walked into DJ Interiors last August and attempted to leave with the store's cash register, store pictured in 2021. Picture: Jessica Ball

The police prosecutor said the victim heard shouts of “grab him”, launched into action, put his arms around the accused’s waist with the pair falling to the ground as he received six to eight punches to the head.

She said Lutton, who was most recently released from prison in 2019 and once escaped custody, had an at least seven-page criminal history including prison sentences for assaults and thefts.

Defence lawyer Jarrad Sims described the offending as “a cry for help” saying his “odd” behaviour may have been an attempt to get caught.

“He was in a desperate state and he’s made the decision, quite foolishly, to try to recover that debt,” Mr Sims said.

“The plan to walk into an open and running store in the main street of Mount Gambier in the middle of the day, and somehow think he can just pick up the cash register and walk out, not the money from the cash register, the entire cash register, is quite bizarre.”

Mr Sims said there was no shying away from Lutton’s history but said, excluding the bail breaches, he had not reoffended since August 2020 – a significant gap for the man struggling with serious drug addiction and a gambling problem.

“It should give some confidence that my client is on a road to recovery, albeit a slow one,” he said.

Lutton, who was a daily meth user and full time carer for his mother at the time, had been in custody since May and Mr Sims argued for time served.

Nathan Barry Lutton has been jailed after walking into DJ Interiors an attempting to leave with its cash register last year, store pictured in 2021. Picture: Jessica Ball

The defendant told Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis he wanted to try.

“I am in a position now where I’ve had time to think about the future and I’m 45 years old and I don’t want to continue to be a burden to the community,” Lutton said.

“If I was placed on a bond, I’d put in everything to make sure I was complying with it.”

Magistrate Panagiotidis appreciated Lutton had made improvements but ruled he must serve further time.

“It gives me some hope you’ve reached a turning point in your life where you are going to turn things around,” she said.

“But I still have a man with a very bad history, who needs to be punished for this offence.”

Recording conviction on all counts, Magistrate Panagiotidis handed down a head sentence of six months, reduced to four months and six days for his guilty plea and backdated for time served.

“Given his long background, a sentence of two months is nowhere near sufficient penalty for the serious assault of a member of the public,” she said.

“I don’t think your client’s track record regarding supervision and community based penalties is such that I could realistically consider suspension.”

Lutton was also ordered to pay $2710 in costs.