Simon Geoffrey Jeremy guilty of burglary, attempting to pervert justice

A 28-year-old ex-landscaper’s lack of criminal genius was on display in Gympie court after he stole a Landcruiser while in the middle of pleading guilty to having swiped it once already.

A Maryborough man’s lack of criminal genius has been laid bare after he was caught stealing the same car twice and recorded on a prison phone line trying to convince his family to hide evidence.

Simon Geoffrey Jeremy’s actions were labelled “breathtakingly stupid” by Judge Bernard Porter, who was left with the job of sentencing the 28-year-old who pleaded guilty to a raft of offences.

These were burglary, stealing, entering a premises, attempting to pervert the course of justice, driving without a licence, two counts of receiving tainted property, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing an item or utensil used in connection with drugs, and possessing explosives (. 22 calibre ammunition) requiring an authority.

Gympie District Court heard it was a Toyota Landcruiser Jeremy had focused on.

On August 6, 2021, he was caught in possession of the vehicle, which had been stolen from a Private Forestry Service Queensland site one year earlier.

“It was a breathtakingly stupid thing to do,” Judge Porter said.

Simon Geoffrey Jeremy leaves Gympie District Court after pleading guilty to charges including burglary and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

However, as Jeremy was pleading guilty to possessing the Landcruiser, it was swiped again.

Police subsequently found messages between Jeremy and another man discussing hiding the Landcruiser at Glenwood.

It was far from the only stolen item found in Jeremy’s possession by police.

The court heard that on the night of October 3, 2021, Jeremy and the co-accused robbed the home of a Gympie family who were on holidays.

Despite having a suspended license, Jeremy and the other man drove a car with fake Victorian number plates made out of paper to the house.

Motorcycles, a firearm safe, power tools, electronics, jewellery and even the family’s wedding albums were stolen during the burglary.

Messages between Jeremy and the co-accused planning the burglary and attempting to sell the stolen items were later found by police.

While in custody Jeremy phoned his de facto partner and mother and tried to get them to conceal some of the stolen property from police.

Jeremy’s partner and mother are not accused of any wrongdoing.

Judge Porter noted these actions did not reflect well on Jeremy’s criminal intelligence.

District Court Judge Bernard Porter said Simon Geoffrey Jeremy’s stealing of the same Toyota Landcruiser twice, once while he was in the process of pleading guilty to its theft, was “breathtakingly stupid”.

“If you didn’t know that (recording) happened, you could probably guess that it does,” Mr Porter said.

He said the 28-year-old’s offending had been “so obvious as to be easily detected … you don’t have the skills to get away with anything”.

Even Jeremy’s attempt to pervert the course of justice was far from the top of the offending scale.

“You couldn’t call this one complicated, asking his mum and girlfriend to bail him out,” Judge Porter said.

Jeremy’s mother, who sat in the gallery supporting him with other family members, sobbed as Judge Porter told the 28-year-old he was being released on parole Friday after spending 277 days in custody.

It had been his first time behind bars having received an 18-month suspended sentence in 2014 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death.

That crime occurred in 2012 when Jeremy and friend Tarryn Alexander, 19, were riding stolen quad bikes along Amamoor Creek Rd in the Amamoor State Forest.

The court heard Jeremy had been driving on the wrong side of the road when the pair encountered a learner driver heading the other way; the driver swerved to miss Jeremy and instead hit Mr Alexander, killing him instantly.

Judge Porter had a stern warning for Jeremy as told him of his impending release.

“If you breach your parole … (back) in you go,” Judge Porter said.