NAMED: Drunk man jailed for breaking in to old ‘mates’ home

A Gatton man has been handed a prison sentence after he broke into a local home. FULL DETAILS:

Behind bars generic jail prison

A Gatton house burglar with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced to jail after he broke into a local home.

Christopher James Spears pleaded guilty in the Gatton court on January 8, to one charge of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence by break.

It was revealed in court that Spears had been drinking heavily before having a fight with his partner prior to breaking into a Hill Street, Gatton, home in November last year.

Police prosecutor senior sergeant Al Windsor said the victim locked their home on November 18, 2020, before leaving the single-story dwelling for three days, returning on November 21.

Senior sergeant Windsor said when the owner returned home they found their premises had been broken into and items had been stolen.

Police were called to the address and conducted a forensic examination that found fingerprints on a glass louver that had been removed allowing entry into the home.

Spears’ fingerprints were matched to the ones found on the louver.

A pruning saw, locking pliers, a spanner with initials engraved and other hand tools were taken from the “fully fenced” property, senior sergeant Windsor said.

On November 22, police executed a search warrant and raided Spears’ Gatton home where they found the stolen shifting spanner that contained the described initials and a number of the other items stolen.

Spears was detained by officers and transported to the Gatton watch house where he declined to undertake a formal interview and was subsequently charged.

Acting Magistrate Damian Carroll said Spears was on probation for stealing offences, and had prior convictions for similar offences.

In court, Spears’ solicitor James Ryan said his 43-year-old client was heavily intoxicated before committing the break-in.

Mr Ryan said the home Spears broke into used to be occupied by a mate and the alcohol caused him to think his mate still lived there.

“The intoxication meant he helped himself in, and he stayed for about 20 minutes inside,” Mr Ryan said.

Magistrate Carroll told Mr Ryan “drunkenness doesn’t excuse bad behaviour”.

Mr Ryan said Spears admitted to “grabbing” the tools.

Magistrate Carroll referencing Spears’ six month prison sentence in 2019 slammed his behaviour and said “what was the first condition you agreed to on your probation order. No more offending. But you did”.

Magistrate Carroll sentenced Spears to four months prison with an immediate parole release.

The Magistrate told Spears if he was charged again with any jailable offence while on parole he would be taken into custody.

Originally published as