Lazarus Paul Seden pleads guilty to 54 offences in Mackay court

A Queensland teenager racked up so many crimes over a four-week period while on parole that a court has been unable to deal out his punishment. SEE THE FULL LIST

Lazarus Paul Seden has pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges. Picture: Facebook

A Mackay teenager racked up so many crimes over a four-week period while on parole that a court has been unable to deal out his punishment.

Solicitor Daniel Lane, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service, said given his client had pleaded to 54 charges, the matter would need to move higher to a district court.

Police prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao said she also agreed Lazarus Paul Seden’s matter could not be adequately dealt with in Mackay Magistrates Court.

The 54 charges Lazarus, 21, earlier pleaded guilty to were committed between October 18 and November 21, 2022 across various Mackay region suburbs including Marian.

The charges include 11 counts of driving without a licence disqualified by court order, two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, 12 unlawful use of motor vehicles, evasion, fraud, seven counts of stealing and numerous property offences.

Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday heard Lazarus was currently serving time at Capricornia Correctional Centre.

Lazarus was in February this year sentenced to six years jail after his dangerous driving in stolen cars on November 20, 2022, caused two crashes and left three people in hospital, including a 75-year-old woman who had been on her way to church.

Because that offending happened while Lazarus was on parole, it also reactivated multiple suspended sentences.

Mr Lane said the dangerous operation and burglary charges – part of the bundle of 54 offences Lazarus was yet to be sentenced for – could further extend his client’s jail time.

He said because Lazarus committed the crimes while on parole, any sentence had to, by law, be cumulative rather than concurrent.

Acting Magistrate Stephen Byrne agreed with Mr Lane and Ms Taufa’ao that the matter had to go higher and committed it to the district court with a sentence date yet to be determined.