Christopher Lucas Mitchell terrified women when breaking in to Rockhampton homes

A teenager hiding in her wardrobe sent a desperate text message to her dad for help as a violent man ransacked her home. She was just one of many vulnerable women targeted by the repeat offender.

A Rockhampton burglar broke into multiple homes, terrifying their female occupants. Stock image.

A terrified teen hiding in her wardrobe sent a desperate text message to her dad for help as a violent burglar smashed his way into her home.

Armed serial burglar Christopher Lucas Mitchell terrified two women when he broke into their homes in July 2022 and stole almost $9000 of jewellery from a third woman with some of those sentimental items never recovered, a court heard.

One of the women, a 19-year-old Berserker resident with serious medical issues, hid under clothes in a wardrobe after Mitchell used a metal pole wrapped in clothing to smash a window next to the front door.

The terrified girl called emergency services and texted her father, with her father arriving before the police and surprising Mitchell who fled without his backpack.

Mitchell, 40, then ran into a police officer as he tried to flee via the front door.

Mitchell kicked the officer’s chest, causing the male to fall backwards onto concrete, breaking his right forearm, soreness in his chest and a grazed elbow.

He had earlier broken into another Berserker residence, using a brick to smash a window at the rear of the dwelling, and taken $8970 of jewellery from a woman in her 60s.

Mitchell gained access to an Allenstown residence via a sliding door on another occasion, waking a female resident sleeping in another room and stealing $400 cash.

The victim fled her home and called the police.

Mitchell was identified as the offender by fingerprints he left at the scenes of the three homes.

Mitchell also ransacked the reception area of Villa Capri Motel on George Street, Rockhampton, after wandering into the foyer at 6.30am on July 19 and finding no staff at the counter.

He got away with $20 and was captured on CCTV.

Mitchell had been released from prison two months earlier and had already breached his parole, resulting in a ‘return to prison’ warrant being issued, before he committed these offences.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said Mitchell, who left school in Grade 4, had spent the majority of his adult life in prison and had never been in a serious relationship or had children.

She said he started using drugs at a young age and his issue now was alcohol.

Judge Jeff Clarke said Mitchell’s offending on this occasion was an escalation, particularly using violence to avoid arrest.

He sentenced Mitchell to two years prison, to start after he has served out his prior sentence handed down in the Rockhampton District Court on August 6, 2021, which means he has a head sentence of six years prison.

Judge Clarke ordered Mitchell be eligible for parole as of April 24.