Kolbe James Langley Butler sentenced in court for stealing
A sentencing in Rockhampton Magistrates Court ended in a dramatic police chase after a man fled from the courthouse upon hearing that he was being sentenced to six months’ prison for multiple stealing charges. Now he’s been recaptured and charged with fresh offences.
Police & Courts
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He was allegedly on the run for a whole three minutes, but now he’s back in the lock-up until his matters are dealt with.
Kolbe James Langley Butler, 28, appeared in custody in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Monday where he was facing more than 30 new charged including wilfully interrupting proceedings of court examination, nine counts of forgery and uttering, nine counts of fraud, nine counts of uttering a forged document, breaching bail, stealing, assault police and obstruct police.
The charges come after Butler allegedly ran from the Rockhampton Courthouse on Friday afternoon while being sentenced for other matters, before being arrested a short time later.
Butler pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on June 17 to three counts each of obstruct police officer and stealing, and one count of driving without a licence.
Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said Butler was using the gaming machines in the gaming room at The Frenchville Sports Club on February 9 when he took a set of keys that were left unattended and used them to open two gaming machines and unlock the cashboxes.
Ms Brown said on both occasions Butler took the cashbox to a nearby toilet, emptied the contents and dumped the cashbox in a bin, removing $145 from the machines.
She said Butler left the venue but returned a few hours later and was detained by police, who were contacted by staff and arrived at 5.30pm, after attempting to flee the venue.
She said Butler told police he did the wrong thing and was scared.
Police searched Butler and found the set of keys, as well as $145 in his bag.
However, Ms Brown added that Butler did not want to be searched and had refused to empty his pockets for police and declined to hand over the keys, throwing them into a toilet bowl.
She said Butler and his partner attended the Ascot Hotel on March 12 at 3.05pm and his partner had asked the manager for a particular brand of liquor, resulting in the manager leaving the bar unattended.
While the manager was distracted, Butler walked around the bar and grabbed $3680 from the till and left the venue.
Ms Brown said Butler was arrested by police later that day at 5.10pm.
She said police searched Butler and found $1650 and also allegedly found $615 on his partner, leaving $1415 outstanding.
She said Butler told police the reason for his stealing was due to being low on money.
She said Butler was unlicensed when he was intercepted driving along Campbell Street, Rockhampton, on April 1 about 8.20pm after his driver’s licence was disqualified in Rockhampton Magistrates Court in November 2021 for two years.
She said Butler ran from his vehicle and police chased him to the carpark of Fitzroy Motor Inn, where he physically resisted arrest.
The court heard Butler was on parole at the time he committed the offences.
He appeared in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on September 9, 2021 for possessing a dangerous drug in excess of two grams and was sentenced to two years prison with parole release on October 20, 2021.
That was in relation to Butler being found in possession of 20.924 grams of methamphetamine on April 30, 2020.
Defence lawyer Miren Smith said her client, who grew up in Banana and graduated Year 12 at a local private school, went down the path of drugs when he was about 20 years old.
“He had a neighbour that influenced him into this and he has lost his way,” Ms Smith said.
She said at the time of committing the offences before the court, her client was struggling with money.
“Rent was due and that’s why he decided to make these silly decisions,” she said.
“He is now kicking himself because he is facing serving actual time in custody.”
Magistrate Cameron Press told Butler he would be going to prison.
“You cannot continue to behave in this manner,” Mr Press said.
“There is very little alternative but to send you back to jail.”
Butler was sentenced to six months’ prison with immediate parole eligibility.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
As Mr Press was sentencing Butler, he stormed out of the courtroom and fled from Rockhampton Courthouse.
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said police were notified of the incident at 10.14am and had taken him into custody three minutes later.
During his appearance in court on Monday, Butler apologised for his actions and the apology was accepted by Mr Press.
He did not make an application for bail and was remanded in custody until his next court date on July 28.
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