Craig Edward Carroll given probation after five months behind bars
A 28-year-old man who used a baseball bat in a violent crime and threatened to burn down a Wide Bay pub has fronted court.
Gympie
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A 28-year-old Macgregor man has been released from jail and put on probation after committing a string of offences, including assault and threatening to burn a Gympie hotel.
Craig Edward Carroll appeared in Gympie Magistrates Court via videolink from the Maryborough Correctional Centre on Thursday for 10 charges between August 2020 and March 2021 ranging from fare evasion to assault occasioning bodily harm.
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He was charged with failing to follow a direction, public nuisance, obstructing a police officer, wilful damage, possessing a knife in a public place, damaging property, threatening violence and unlawfully possessing Xanax.
He pleaded guilty to all charges.
The court heard one of the most serious charges, assault occasioning bodily harm, began when he assaulted someone he knew, before he smashed their car’s tail lights with a baseball bat on February 21.
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Later on March 22, Carroll threatened to burn The Nationwide Motel at Gympie and threw pot plants and damaged a sliding-glass door.
Defence lawyer Chris Anderson said his clients time in pre-sentence custody was used as time to reflect on his actions.
Mr Anderson said Carroll’s actions were “rooted in alcohol abuse” and his client was an alcoholic, though he had stopped drinking while in custody.
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Magistrate Chris Callaghan described Carroll’s actions as “bad behaviour”.
“You’ve got to be responsible for what you put in your body and your actions,” Mr Callaghan said.
His time in pre-sentence custody was ordered as time served, and he was released from prison on an 18 month probation order.
He was ordered to pay $1019.29 in restitution.
A conviction was recorded.
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