‘Out-of-character’ crimes spill into Bundaberg court
A mum, a labourer and a landscaper wearing one shoe were among several people to front Bundaberg court for stealing offences triggered by desperation.
Police & Courts
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Pressures from Queensland’s financial crisis has manifested in several court appearances from men and women forced to resort to stealing to get by, a Bundaberg court heard on Monday.
Addiction desperation also triggered other “out of character” crimes, the court heard.
Shopping centres, grocery stores and support network centres were the targets of criminal behaviour, with several people pleading guilty to crimes described as “out of character.”
Convictions not recorded:
Natasha Janice Heymer
After her expected child support payment failed to come through, a 41-one-year old mother felt she was left with no choice but to steal groceries to feed her family.
The disability support pensioner pleaded guilty to one count of stealing in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, June 19.
The court heard Heymer had been struggling financially when her expected child support payment did not hit her bank account.
She had been waiting on the payment to feed herself and her son when she entered a Woolworths on January 22, 2023.
Heymer loaded a trolley with $55.50 worth of food before leaving the store without paying.
She was identified through CCTV footage, and when police visited her home she made full admissions.
Duty lawyer Christabelle Stafford-Smith told the court the crime was “out-of-character” as Heymer had no previous criminal history.
Judge John McInnes said he understood the “extenuating circumstances” which fuelled the theft.
Heymer was given a $150 good behaviour bond, restitution was sought on the $55.50 sent to SPER.
No convictions were recorded.
Dominic Glyenden Ciprian
A Bargara service station was the target of an “offence of slackness” after as 39-year-old labourer’s bank card declined when he tried to pay for fuel.
Dominic Glyenden Ciprian pleaded guilty to one count of stealing in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, June 19.
The court heard on December 29, 2022 the 39-year-old filled up a jerry can with $40 worth of fuel at the Bargara BP Service Station.
When he went to pay his card declined, the court heard.
He left his details with the cashier, along with a promise to return later and pay.
When Ciprian failed to return, the attendant contacted police.
Ciprian was picked up at Hinkler Shopping Center on May 22, 2023, where he tried to give police the money.
Duty lawyer Christabelle Stafford-Smith told the court Ciprian had no similar criminal history, and the crime was also “out-of-character”.
Mr McInnes accepted the awkward situation of the crime and said “I haven’t heard anything that suggests he planned to deprive the BP of money, it’s more of an offence of slackness at worst”.
Ciprian was fined $80, a further $40 was sought for the service station. Convictions were not recorded.
Convictions recorded:
Aaron Desley King
A Bundaberg community services group was the victim of a landscaper’s stealing spree, fuelled by prescription drugs, alcohol and mental health issues, the Bundaberg court heard.
Aaron Desley King, 43, pleaded guilty on Monday to four counts of stealing.
The father-of-one appeared wearing one shoe.
The court heard King had been receiving assistance from Impact Community Services, when in an “opportunistic” move he stole two DeWalt fan batteries from the ground floor of the centre.
The batteries carried a combined value of $400.
The theft was one of several triggered by ongoing battles with anxiety, depression, the loss of his job from losing his licence, alcohol and prescription drug abuse, the court heard.
Over a three-day period, King stole a miniature alcohol display from Bargara Lakes tavern valued at $714, towels from Sheridan valued at $240, and a bottle of Kraken Rum valued at $92.
The court heard he made no attempts to pay and CCTV footage confirmed his identity to police.
Judge John McInnes said he had concerns when passing a sentence due to an outstanding $6000 SPER debt King was paying off.
He ordered a $400 restitution for the batteries and placed King on a year’s probation.
Convictions were recorded.
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