Peter Samuel Hecker pleaded guilty to wilful damage, possessing dangerous drugs

A homeless man forced to live in a drainpipe on the Bruce Highway after being evicted from his family home returned to the property and started hurling bricks at his victim, a court has heard.

Peter Samuel Hecker pleaded guilty to breach of bail, possessing drug utensils, possessing dangerous drugs and two counts of wilful damage when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

A homeless man will spend Christmas behind bars after an ongoing dispute with his stepbrother over the family home landed him before court.

Peter Samuel Hecker, 37, pleaded guilty to breach of bail, possessing drug utensils, possessing dangerous drugs and two counts of wilful damage when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

The court heard in one incident, Hecker had gone into the backyard of the home and started verbally abusing the victim, then started throwing bricks and other objects towards them.

He stood about 20m from the victim while throwing the items, the court was told, with one of the bricks hitting the rear wooden door of the dwelling, causing a dent.

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He then ripped a drainpipe from the wall of the garage and threw it at the victim.

Hecker then threw paving bricks stored under the veranda of the rear back garage, damaging the Colorbond sheeting on the garage and causing “numerous dents”, the court was told.

When the victim contacted police, Hecker ran off on foot, with police attending later that day and observing the damage.

Police also viewed a mobile phone recording which showed Hecker committing the offence.

Later that evening, police attended the Bruce Highway where Hecker was living in a drainpipe as he was homeless at the time.

He was transported to the police watch-house where he was charged.

In a second incident, on September 12, Hecker went to the home about 6pm.

Peter Samuel Hecker pleaded guilty to breach of bail, possessing drug utensils, possessing dangerous drugs and two counts of wilful damage when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court this week.

He was seen standing next to the rear shed holding a metal pole.

Hecker approached the victim and swung the pole at him.

The action caused the victim to jump backwards, the court heard.

When Hecker ran around the corner of the rear shed, the victim heard a metal object smash into windows on the shed.

The court heard when police located Hecker in the drain, they also found .29 grams of meth and a pipe.

Hecker had also breached bail by failing to report, but handed himself in the next day, saying he had forgotten to report as he had “a lot on”.

The court heard the property damage involved in the wilful damage offences had been “quite significant”.

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Defence lawyer Morgan Harris said Hecker had been attending Bridges to address his substance abuse and anger issues.

Mr Harris said the home Hecker had been living at was passed to his stepbrother by way of a court order.

Due to his frustration, Hecker had been taking meth on and off in the period preceding his offences, Mr Harris said.

Magistrate John Milburn said Hecker had committed “significant acts of domestic violence” against his stepbrother through his offending.

Mr Milburn said the incidents happened in the context of Hecker being disappointed at being evicted from the family home as a result of a tribunal order.

“Your actions were deliberate,” he said.

Mr Milburn said the extent of the damage had been considerable, with more than $7000 worth of damage caused.

Hecker was sentenced to nine months in prison, with a parole release date set for March 5, 2024.

Convictions were recorded.