Matthew Lee Hansen pleads guilty to break and enter

In a frank letter to the court, a man who pleaded guilty to 30 offences including break and enter and weapon possession has revealed years of drug abuse has ruined his life.

A BURGLAR left behind a crucial bit of evidence when he grabbed a glass jar full of coins and raided the cash register at his local fish and chip shop.

An Ipswich court heard blood spatters left at the scene from an injury led police to catch Matthew Hansen, who lived just 20 minutes away.

When located, police found a taser, and a loaded sawn-off rifle hidden behind Hansen’s bed.

Matthew Lee Hansen appeared via video link before Ipswich Magistrates court for sentence on 30 charges, and in a letter to the magistrate he frankly admitted that drugs had ruined his life.

Hansen, 37, from Coolana, pleaded guilty to a range of offences including five counts of being in possession of dangerous drugs (including methylamphetamine); possession of schedule 1 drugs quantity exceeding schedule 3; entering premises by break to steal; two counts of possession of anything used in a crime; stealing; unlawful possession of weapons; receiving tainted property; not having authority to possess explosives; possession of drug utensils; possession of property used in the commission of a drug offence; failing to properly dispose of needle/syringe; and unlawful use of a stolen motor vehicle.

Prosecutor Sergeant Nicholas Turnbull said police sought a jail penalty of 15 to 18 months for the most serious charges, with lesser concurrent jail terms on other charges.

A dad broke into a fish and chips shop at Walloon and stolen coins from a jar and raided the cash register.

He said one drug charge related to Hansen having 5.368 grams of methylamphetamine (ice) with a 74.4% purity.

“It is quite a pure form of methylamphetamine. Police are not alleging commerciality,” he said.

Defence lawyer Mathew Fairclough said Hansen grew up in the Lowood area and had two teenage children.

“His mother developed a heroin addiction and those problems migrated over to him,” he said.

“His drug issues started in 2011 and he has been struggling on and off ever since.

“His parents are supportive and his goal is to remain drug free.”

The court heard the offences were committed between November 2019 and December 2021.

Magistrate Leanne Scoines said he was now in custody with a parole eligibility date in February 2023.

She said he had acknowledged (in his letter) that drugs had ruined his life for many years now and that he wanted to go on a different path.

“Your pattern of offending is really abhorrent, and causes unrest in the community among other citizens, ” Ms Scoines said.

She said when police searched a house at Patrick Estate he was found to have a .223 rifle with a cut-down pistol grip, and loaded with five rounds of ammunition.

The court heard the rifle was wrapped in a cloth and hidden behind his bed.

In the Walloon fish and chips break-in he stole $700, including $200 in coins. Blood found on the shop floor was identified as being his.

Hansen was ordered to pay compensation.

He was sentenced to an 18-month jail term and to lesser concurrent jail orders.