Jake Raymond Baillie sentenced at Dalby court after damaging multiple shopfront windows

A man who smashed the windows of multiple Western Downs businesses told police he committed the reckless offences because of an app on his phone. See the details.

A man offered police a “disjointed” explanation after being caught on camera damaging multiple shop fronts along a Western Downs’ main street.

Jake Raymond Baillie was seen on CCTV smashing the windows of businesses on Cunningham St in Dalby on two separate occasions in April this year during a reckless string of events, Dalby Magistrates Court was told.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins told the court the 24-year-old was seen attempting to enter the rear of restaurant Curry Resort in Dalby by lifting the roller doors and trying to pick the lock of a back office door before giving up and taking to the front by smashing the windows.

That same evening the Dalby man attended the King Vapealot shop, also smashing the front windows of the business.

Jake Raymond Baillie was sentenced at Dalby Magistrates Court for three counts of wilful damage, one count of entering a premises to commit an offence and one count of failing to report. Picture: Facebook

Sergeant Hutchins told the court police attended his residence after identifying him from the footage, where he denied having any involvement in the offences. However the court was told authorities located the same distinctive pink shoes and white pants in his closet that was seen on camera.

“He requested to see the footage and upon being shown he stated to police he did it because of an app on his phone,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“He continued to discuss issues with the app thinking businesses in Dalby had something to do with underground criminal activities.

“I’m not sure what that means.”

Defence lawyer Julia Molloy said her client provided the “disjointed” explanation to police as he hadn’t been managing his schizophrenia at the time.

“Some of (the explanation) was difficult to follow which was symptomatic to my client’s poor mental health at the time,” she said.

“He instructs he was struggling and has no reasonable explanation.”

The court was told the man, who appeared via videolink after being arrested for breaking a reporting condition after the damage offences, had a history of entering premises with intention to commit.

Baillie pleaded guilty to three counts of wilful damage, one count of entering a premises with intent to commit an offence and one count of failing to comply with reporting condition.

He was sentenced to two months’ jail, wholly suspended for 12 months, and fined $200.