Alyssa Maree Stockton pleads guilty to 14 charges including car theft

A magistrate said he would like to put a teen car thief in ‘a jumpsuit and shackles’ and shuffle her onto her flight to Brisbane. Find out why she’s in trouble.

A magistrate has said he would like to put a young car thief in “a jumpsuit and shackles” and have her walked onto her flight to Brisbane after telling the teenager she is “not welcome” in Mackay.

A court heard Alyssa Maree Stockton was to be released from Mackay watch-house into her solicitor’s custody to be put straight onto her flight south where she will attend a rehabilitation clinic.

“I’ve relieved the city of Mackay of your criminal activity,” Magistrate James Morton said.

She missed a previous flight because she had a “bad shot” of ice after she was mistakenly released from custody and ended up back on the streets before she was rearrested and her bail rejected.

Despite only turning 18 in May 2021, Stockton pleaded guilty to 14 offences including two stolen cars committed between June and August 2021.

“I’d like to have her in a paddy wagon, in a jumpsuit and shackles and shuffled onto the plane, but she’s been sentenced,” Mr Morton said.

The court heard her offending included disqualified driving, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, possessing stolen property, drug pipe and a knife in public.

Prosecutor Harry Coburn said one instance of driving a stolen car occurred two days after Stockton was sentenced in the magistrates court, which he argued had given the teen “every opportunity to turn a new leaf”.

“She doesn’t comply with bail or probation and continues to commit offences as soon as (she is) released,” Mr Coburn said, pushing for jail with immediate parole.

Defence solicitor Paul Broughton told the court his client’s biggest issue had been her lack of support.

“She’s still very young, I would ask your honour to have regard to her youth,” Mr Broughton said, adding her plan was to get out of Mackay “where she had bad influences around her that she’s unable to resist”.

Mr Broughton said she was going to a residential rehabilitation facility in New Farm, which was a significant opportunity “to get her out of here and address the core issue that is behind a lot of this offending”.

Alyssa Maree Stockton pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to 14 charges and was told she is not welcome in Mackay.

“For someone of your age, you have been quite active as a criminal in the community,” Mr Morton said to Stockton, who stood in the courtroom dock.

“I’m told and I accept that you’ve had a hard run,” Mr Morton said.

“Many people have had a harder run than you and they’ve made something of their life. That only goes so far … before it wears thin and the poor bugger me story kicks in.”

Mr Morton said stealing and driving around in stolen cars was a serious crime and unacceptable.

“I’m really really unhappy about the fact you find yourself on the end of a needle,” he said.

“That’s when you’re at rock bottom, putting a needle in your arm to get a hit.”

Mr Morton accepted her offending was linked to her drug use and said by law he had to take into account her young age and rehabilitative prospects.

As such he placed her on 18-months probation, but would only release her into Mr Broughton’s custody on the proviso she was placed straight on the plane to Brisbane.

“She’s not welcome in the city of Mackay,” Mr Morton said.

Stockton must comply with monthly drug testing as part of her probation. She was also disqualified from driving for four years. Convictions were not recorded.