Nehemiah Saylor: Young Ipswich man sentenced over graffiti, stealing, dangerous driving charges

The 20-year-old was described as a ‘recidivist’ offender despite his tender age and the fact he had spent a total of 534 days in custody.

A young Ipswich man who has spent a majority of his adult life in custody laughed, yawned, shook his head, and interrupted court proceedings during his sentencing hearing this week.

Nehemiah Saylor, 20, from Goodna appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Tuesday and again on Friday via video link where he pleaded guilty to more than 20 charges including burglary-type offences, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and graffiti.

The court heard the offences occurred on dates ranging from May 2020 to November 2021, over a period of about 17 months, across the Ipswich region.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull said Saylor’s offending could be described as “brazen” at times and “objectively dangerous”, with police at one stage having to jump out of the way of a car Saylor was driving in their direction.

Sgt Turnbull said Saylor also narrowly missed a fuel bowser while operating the vehicle.

He argued Saylor demonstrated a “lack of insight” into his offending.

The court heard the young man had been in custody for a total of 531 days over varying periods – 534 by Friday.

Defence barrister Terry Strong said the offences before the court began when Saylor was just 18 years old, arguing rehabilitation was key for an offender of his young age.

“While my client has committed quite a lot of serious offences, and on one level it looks like he’s extending his middle finger to the system, we still have to bear in mind that he is still a very young offender,” Mr Strong said.

Mr Strong said his client did not want to spend his life in and out of jail, particularly after he lost his father while in custody and was unable to attend the funeral.

The matter was adjourned from Tuesday to Friday for Saylor’s sentencing.

On Friday, Magistrate David Shepherd told Saylor his inability to see the consequences of his actions was of concern.

“You are a very young man and so far have just been wasting time in jail,” Mr Shepherd said.

“You’ve got a long way to go, hopefully, but if you keep this up you may not.

“You may just end up killing yourself and probably other people along with it.”

Saylor was sentenced to a total of two years’ imprisonment and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for five years.

Mr Shepherd declared 534 of the days Saylor spent in custody as time served for 12 offences, 315 days as time served for four offences, and 101 days as time served for six offences.

The sentences for 16 of Saylor’s offences were suspended for a period of two years.

He was released on immediate parole for other remaining matters and for the resentencing of his breach of probation offences.

Convictions were recorded.