Burglar and car thief causing havoc in Paget sentenced to four more years in jail

The burglar and car thief cut chains and fences to gain entry to Paget business premises. In once case, he ransacked multiple cars in a lot after using a stolen car to get there.

A burglar causing havoc in Paget in late 2019 is eligible to apply for parole immediately but a parole board “backlog” could mean any attempt to seek release could take a minimum of six months to be heard.

Kiren James Hazard unlawfully used seven stolen cars, either driving or was a passenger in November and December of that year.

His DNA or fingerprints were found in the vehicles five of those times and police spotted him in the other two.

Crown legal officer Harriet Hall-Pearce told Mackay District Court Hazard entered several business premises, cutting chains and fences and breaking windows to gain entry.

She said he ransacked multiple cars in a lot after using a stolen car to get there and cutting a gate to gain access.

Kiren Hazard, 28, is eligible to apply for parole immediately but the parole board might not hear his application for many months.

Ms Hall-Pearce said he stole about $400 cash in the haul and then tried to flee when police later spotted him.

“He accelerated away. He failed to give way and forced a truck to take evasive action to avoid collision,” she said.

When police did arrest him on Broadsound Road in Paget on December 6, 2019, he also managed to break free but not for long.

Police found 1.5g of marijuana and two clipseal bags with 0.683g of methylamphetamines on him.

Police arresting Kiren Hazard.

Ms Hall-Pearce, who tendered 11 pages of criminal history and a document showing his previous traffic history, said Hazard had and “unenviable criminal history”.

“Evidently (Hazard) is no stranger to property offending,” she said.

“His history boasts over 30 charges of unlawfully entering premises or attempting to do so.”

Ms Hall-Pearce said Hazard had breached parole with these offences and had been in prison ever since.

He had been sentenced to four years jail on May 27, 2019 and was out on parole for about two months before reoffending.

Ms Hall-Pearce suggested a four-year jail term for the new offences could be cumulative but Judge Julie Dick suggested eight years would be crushing.

She said Hazard had shown a complete disregard for the property of others and was a “menace to the community”.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client had spent some time in juvenile detention after a dysfunctional upbringing.

He said the father of two was working and being a good dad for a period but he slipped back into drugs.

“Unfortunately he started a new relationship with a woman who was an ice user and he relapsed into methylamphetamine use and that is the context in which these offences were committed,” he said.

Mr McLennan said Hazard’s children, aged eight and three, were visiting him in Capricornia Correctional Centre but he was moved to Maryborough because of overcrowding and had not seen them since, making his time harder.

He said his client had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety while in prison and had been doing as many courses as he was able to complete while in custody.

Mr McLennan asked that Judge Dick only declared 540 of his client’s 590 days in pre-sentence custody because he hoped to use the remaining days toward a mandatory 50 days jail for evade police charges still up for sentence in the magistrates court.

Judge Julie Dick sentenced Hazard to four years in jail for the bulk of the offences, adding a further 12 months cumulatively for dangerous driving.

She disqualified him from driving for two years and set parole eligibility for July 20, 2021.

Judge Dick said sentencing judges around the country had been giving discounts in the sentencing process because of how hard Covid-19 lockdowns had been for prisoners.

“We know there have been more lockdowns in prison than in the outside community. We know that exercise has stopped, visitors have stopped,” she said.

“There is a significant delay, particularly here in the regions, in the parole board considering applications for parole.

“The figures I’ve been quoted are six to eight months.

“And then of course there’s no guarantee you’ll get the parole because of your behaviour last time on parole.”