Boonah’s Jacob Henare Stephan fronts Ipswich Court for school break in spree

A meth addict targeted five schools and three businesses, including a law firm, during a spree of break-ins to fund his $100-a-day ice habit.

A meth addict targeted five schools and three businesses, including a law firm, during a spree of break-ins to fund his $100-a-day ice habit.

A court has heard how a meth addict started returning stolen goods from a spree of break-ins south of Brisbane when his guilty conscience caught up to him.

Boonah resident Jacob Henare Stephan, 27, pleaded guilty to 17 charges at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on October 17, 2023.

The charges included four counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, three counts of attempting to enter a premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, attempting to enter a dwelling with intent at night, stealing, five breaches of bail, and two counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence.

The court heard Stephan’s offending spanned a three-month period in 2023.

Magistrate Melanie Ho said the offending could be characterised as a “crime spree” to support Stephan’s “$100 a day” ice habit.

She said he broke into or attempted to break into five schools, three businesses and a private residence.

These included Maroon State School, Aratula State School, Mutdapilly State Primary School, Boonah Butter Factory, Boonah Fruit Supply and a Boonah solicitor’s firm.

He would use a pry bar to force entry in the early hours of morning, and would search for items of value, Ms Ho said.

She noted he had expressed remorse to police, and felt particularly “terrible” about taking someone’s passport.

“You decided to take it back to the store because you felt bad for the victim,” Ms Ho said.

Defence lawyer Mark Williams said his client had family support and was eager to return to the workforce, having been remanded in custody for around two months.

Ms Ho encouraged Stephan to get on top of his drug addiction.

“You’ve got the love and support of a wonderful family,” she said.

“You need to return that and do the best by your family.”

Stephan was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, with immediate parole release and 63 days declared time-served.

He was also ordered to repay $1554 in restitution, which was referred to SPER.