“Astounding he’s still alive”: Decades of drug abuse, criminal activity

A 47-year-old man has been sentenced to 7.5 years in jail after he faced court yesterday, “with what can only be categorised as an appalling criminal history.”

A 47-year-old man has been sentenced to 7.5 years in jail after he faced court yesterday, “with what can only be categorised as an appalling criminal history.”

A 47-YEAR-OLD man has faced the court, "with what can only be categorised as an appalling criminal history," across three states.

Jason Heath Robinson pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay District Court to burglary and stealing offences, all occurring within 19 days of each other in late 2020.

With a "lengthy, relevant" criminal history across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, struggles "with drug addiction" were said to be the root of the issue.

"(Drug addiction) seems to be the impetus for his commission and property offending, he has been given every opportunity to rehabilitate … he's just unwilling, it would seem, to address the underlying issue," the court heard.

Robinson was said to have been given “every opportunity” to rehabilitate himself from drug addiction.

Robinson was said to have been in a house with "severe domestic violence," before being placed into general establishment in NSW, where he was "mentally and physically and sexually abused."

"A 36-page report from a psychologist indicates … he suffers from severe PTSD, and he has turned to the drugs, obviously, for some relief," Defence Lawyer Bill Hardcastle said.

Relevant offences were said to have started when Robinson was about 18, in QLD, with "an unauthorised use of a car."

"In the three decades since, you've very frequently been convicted of offences relating to property, dishonesty, and drugs, and you've spent a lot of those three decades in jail," Judge Glen Cash said to Robinson.

In court on Tuesday, Robinson was first accused of breaking and entering the premise of U Can Recycle in Urangan on September 25, 2020, before stealing money from the premise.

In the second instance, Robinson broke into a home at Urraween, on October 10, 2020, with intent to commit an indictable offence before an alarm allegedly "scared" him from the home.

The following day, on October 11, 2020, Robinson broke into another home at Urraween and stole "jewellery and jewellery boxes".

The next day Robinson broke into a home at Wondunna, where he stole "jewellery, a car key, and technological devices".

The fifth offence occurred that same day where Robinson was accused of breaking into a home at Wondunna, where he stole things including "jewellery", "technological devices and a pillowcase".

The court heard Robinson was on parole in September 2016 after he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment "for a whole load of burglary and other offences."

He was then "clearly able to live a meaningful life, it seems, free of drugs" for a period of time between 2018 and 2020, as he went without any police interaction.

Robinson, "unfortunately," then reoffended and ended back up in custody.

Judge Glen Cash "considered" Robinson "a walking miracle" with his "history, and what's obviously, this decades of drug abuse".

"It's astounding he's still alive," Judge Cash said.

"He has the willpower to continue these offences but not the willpower, or drive, to get off the drugs," Prosecutor Clayton Willis said.

One of the five counts Robinson was charged with included a breaking and entering offence, where he stole “jewellery”, “technical devices” and a “car key” from a home on October 12, 2020.

Robinson was charged with one count of breaking and entering premises and stealing; one count of breaking into a home with intent; and, three counts of breaking into a home and stealing.

Judge Cash didn't "mean to say it as a lecture," as he told Robinson what would be his future if he reuses drugs outside of jail.

"You did what you did because you're a drug addict, unfortunately," Judge Cash said.

"If, when you are released from jail, this time you find yourself using again, you're either going to kill yourself, someone's going to kill you, or you're going to commit offences and go back to jail.

"It's a cycle that you just have to break if you want to have any chance of living something close to a normal life, to be of assistance to those who are close to you and to be a father who's present for your children."

He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for each of the five counts.

The judge said he didn't have "any idea when (he) might actually be released"and no "particular expectation when (he) might be released".

However, the date to be eligible for parole was moved to Tuesday, March 23, 2021.

The terms of his imprisonment are to be served cumulatively, running after an unrelated sentence Robinson is currently serving.

Originally published as “Astounding he’s still alive”: Decades of drug abuse, criminal activity