’Crocodile tears’: Handbag thief’s watch house weeping slammed

He snatched a woman’s handbag in broad daylight and used her bank card to buy cigarettes. Now, this repeat offender wants sympathy.

Walter Thomas Godfrey pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court after he stole a woman’s handbag from her car and used her card to buy cigarettes.

A man’s weeping in the watch house has been described as “crocodile tears” after the theft of a woman’s handbag in broad daylight added more offences to his 12-page criminal history.

Walter Thomas Godfrey, 36, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday to one count of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence and three counts of fraud.

The court heard Godfrey was “loitering” in the carpark of the Hinkler Shopping Centre at midday on Thursday where he saw the victim approach her car.

He then walked past her and waited against a wall while the victim unlocked her car and wound down windows to let out hot air.

She then went the back of her car to unload groceries.

While the victim was distracted, Godfrey approached her car and reached into the passenger side window taking her handbag.

Godfrey put the handbag under his shirt and walked away and sat on steps that led to the street.

He rummaged through the handbag where he found a number of items including a debit card.

Godfrey then went inside the shopping centre and used the card to buy cigarettes at Coles and Free Choice Tobacco using paywave.

He was found by police on Saturday, making no admissions to the offending before being told he had been seen on CCTV.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Dean Burgess told the court Godfrey was taken into custody because of his “extensive history” and he had previously been jailed for similar offending.

He said Godfrey had previously breached a number of court orders in the past his criminal history was “littered” with drug offending and stealing.

Godfrey, who appeared by videolink, wept from the Bundaberg watch house as the facts we read.

Sergeant Burgess said the fraudulent transactions were for Godfrey’s own use.

“He’s broken into a car, stolen the card and used it to buy cigarettes, he’s crying and is now upset because he’s been caught your honour,” he said.

“I say they’re crocodile tears, he’s been through the ringer so many times that in my view he’s worthy of an actual term of imprisonment, someone with his history should know better.”

Duty lawyer Rian Dwyer, who represented Godfrey, told the court his client’s crimes were not violent in nature and he had been out of trouble since 2018.

Mr Dwyer told the court Godfrey had a problem with ice for the last 15 years and was “off it for a while” but relapsed after the breakdown of his 14-year relationship.

He said Godfrey committed the offences during the relapse.

Mr Dwyer said Godfrey accepted his crimes were acts of “stupidity” and he “wasn’t thinking straight”.

He said Godfrey was remorseful and had spent two nights in custody.

Magistrate Andrew Moloney took into account Godfrey’s plea of guilty came at the earliest opportunity and that he had spent two nights in the watch house.

Mr Moloney said Godfrey had proven he could stay out of trouble but the deliberate nature of the offending was serious.

“You have, no doubt, scared the complainant who was just going about her lawful business in the carpark, trusting that others around her aren’t going to reach in and steal her handbag,” he said.

Godfrey was sentenced to six months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for a period of two years.

He was also ordered to pay a total of $85.16 restitution.