Malcolm Gregory Tennant pleads guilty in Mackay court to stealing $20,000 bikes

A Mackay man who helped himself to two bikes worth $20,000 has gotten away without paying a cent. Read why.

A Mackay man who helped himself to two bikes worth $20,000 parked at the Souths Leagues Club was not ordered to pay a cent of restitution.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Malcolm Gregory Tennant’s recent spate of offending started with a $749 bike, which he had “simply taken” from a shopper at Caneland Central on July 2.

Police prosecutor Robert Beamish told the court the 37 year old then tried to pinch $290 worth of groceries from Peries IGA on August 4, claiming to police “he had had trouble getting money from the public trustee”.

He returned to the IGA on September 7 and tried to steal $40 worth of groceries before attempting to pay for the items by offering $4, which was refused.

Malcolm Gregory Tennant pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court on November 5 to stealing. Picture: Facebook

On September 27, Tennant stole two bicycles valued at $20,000 that had been parked outside the Souths Leagues Club while the owners were inside.

The court heard Malcolm Gregory Tennant had an “appalling history” of dishonesty for which he consistently blamed the “public trustee”.

The recent offences were committed while Tennant was on two suspended sentences for similar offending.

He pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing after a previous conviction, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Rosemary Varley said her client was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1997 and his only source of income was in the form of disability payments.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan took into account Tennant’s mental health issues, but said it could only excuse his actions so far.

“You simply took someone’s bicycle from them,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You’ve got no right to take items from other people.”

But Ms Hartigan said she recognised Tennant did not have the capacity to pay restitution, even if referred to SPER.

His suspended sentences were activated and he was sentenced to 18 months jail with parole release on April 12, 2022.

Convictions were recorded and no restitution was ordered.