Kyle Anthony Lahiff in court for stealing cars, trafficking drugs
A Nambour man has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to multiple crimes including stealing cars, possessing drugs and breaking into homes.
Police & Courts
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A Nambour man has lost his licence for six years and been sentenced to jail after pleading guilty in the Gympie Magistrates Court to 21 crimes, including stealing cars, possessing drugs and break and enter.
Kyle Anthony Lahiff, 22, pleaded guilty by video link from jail on Tuesday, November 19, where he has been incarcerated since December 2023.
The court heard Lahiff had committed the crimes when he was 21 years old.
The 21 charges included six counts of breach of bail, three counts of driving without a licence, three counts of possessing a dangerous drugs, three counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two counts of stealing, one count of stealing a car, one count of entering a premises and committing indictable offences, one count of obstructing a police officer, one count of possessing suspected drug related property, and one count of committing indictable offences at night.
Magistrate Bevan Hughes described the crimes as “serious” and “the community has had a gutful of people going into their homes, stealing their keys, and driving off in their cars.”
“People are entitled to feeling safe in their homes,” he said.
Lahiff’s lawyer said she did not “disagree” with the assessment of his crimes, but characterised his charges as “unsophisticated” and “more opportunistic”.
He was previously placed on 15 months probation with no jail time to “give him a chance,” but was soon caught stealing, and wound up in prison, the court heard.
Lahiff was disqualified from driving for six years, sentenced to 12 months jail for unlawfully entering a home, 10 months jail for stealing a vehicle, and a further one month in jail for stealing fuel.
All other charges were recorded but no further sentencing was pursued.
The court heard Lahiff had a “normal” childhood and was introduced to methamphetamines and cannabis at the age of 17.
He had intentions to move up to Hervey Bay to live with his grandmother, as he wanted to distance himself from Gympie to avoid falling back into a “bad group” of friends, the court heard.
Lahiff will be eligible for parole on December 1, 2024 due to his youth, plea of guilty, making efforts to better his mental health, and having plans to avoid bad influences in future.
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