GLADSTONE CRIME: The most shocking court cases of 2020
A sex offender impersonating security, a child abducted and left at McDonald’s and a siege - 2020 was a shocking year for Gladstone crime.
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A vile sex offender impersonating security, a child abducted and left at a McDonald’s, two teens’ crime spree and a siege which stopped the town for 36 hours - 2020 was a most shocking year for crime in the Gladstone region.
To mark the end of the year The Observer has compiled a list of crimes exposed in our courtrooms which shook the region.
Sex offender wears ‘security’ shirt, waits in school toilets
A man, 21, who preyed on children at and around a Gladstone school while wearing a “security” shirt has been released from prison after serving 406 days.
Shannon Norgate, now 22, pleaded guilty in Gladstone District Court in March to taking a child under 12 for immoral purposes, two counts of attempted indecent treatment of a child, indecent treatment of a child, three counts of trespass, public nuisance, breach of bail, unlawful possession of a weapon and improper use of an emergency call service.
Judge Michael Burnett said the behaviour was “plainly predatory”, “deviant” and “constitutes every parent’s worst nightmare”.
Read the full story here (WARNING GRAPHIC).
Man jailed after abducting toddler from hockey fields
A man has been jailed after stealing a car with a toddler and dog inside from Gladstone Hockey Fields and abandoning the child at McDonald’s late at night.
Clayton Ryan Miles, 35, pleaded guilty in Gladstone District Court in February to one count of abducting a child, one of endangering the life of a child, four stealing, one trespass, two fail to appear in court, one driving while disqualified and one of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Judge Michael Burnett described the offending as horrendous and spine chilling.
Read the full story here.
Co-offender Justice Naomi Lansdown was also sentenced in August in the Brisbane District Court.
Read the full story here.
Mum’s heartache as son’s killer receives parole eligibility
“It has been absolutely traumatic,” the mother of slain Andrew Vesey-Brown said outside the Rockhampton Courthouse, after her son’s killer received a nine year sentence for manslaughter.
Anthony Lee Smits pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Vesey-Brown before the Rockhampton Supreme Court in December.
Read what happened on the fatal night of July 10, 2017.
Read Smits’ horrifying offences leading up to the manslaughter.
GUILTY: Young teen sentenced for property crime spree, arson
A 15-year-old boy who caused havoc breaking into cars and houses around Gladstone faced the music for his crimes in Gladstone District Court in July.
The boy, now 16, pleaded guilty to arson, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and 55 other charges including break and commit an indictable offence, stealing and burglary.
Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke told the court the first set of charges were from August 5 when, with a teenage male co-accused, the boy stole a Hyundai i30 before setting it alight.
Read the full story here.
Read the co-offender’s story here.
Man behind 36-hour siege ‘let out of care too early’
A Gladstone man who forced a New Auckland street to be shut down for 36 hours during a siege, won’t serve any jail time.
Matthew William Kelle, 46, pleaded guilty to five charges in Gladstone Magistrates Court on August 21, including two counts of serious assault of a police officer while pretending to be armed with a weapon.
Read the full story here.
Trafficking twin’s ‘ridiculous’ claim of making $5k in a day
A drug trafficking twin had set up a commercial operation where he would supply marijuana onto drug dealers.
Madison Kenneth Horton’s offending came unstuck during a search warrant last year at an address where he lived with his twin who was sentenced for drug supply earlier in the week.
During the warrant Horton made admissions to the business of selling marijuana.
Read the full story here.
Read his twin Nicholas Jeoffrey Horton’s story here.
‘Ridiculous, f***ed up charge’: Druggie erupts in court
A drug-using carer was calmly pleading guilty to a string of related charges until one detail caused her to blow up.
Concreter grabs star picket in bottle-o blue with hotel boss
A concreter grabbed a star picket as an altercation with a Central Queensland hotel manager got heated, forcing staff to intervene.