Seven fuel drive offs by homeless man in two months

A man who escaped a mental health facility spent almost two months living out of his car, stealing fuel almost weekly.

A MAN who escaped a mental health facility spent almost two months living out of his car, stealing fuel almost weekly, costing service stations hundreds of dollars.

Hayden George Kime, 25, pleaded guilty on April 23 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to seven charges for fuel drive offs, one possess knife in a public place and one of failing to appear in court.

The court heard Kime stole fuel between January 11 and February 21 from service stations in Rockhampton and Yeppoon of between $72 and $110, totalling $672.63.

Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said his client was “couch surfing” between family in Rockhampton and Yeppoon.

He said Kime had worked as a concreter prior to the coronavirus pandemic and hoped to regain employment in that industry afterwards.

Mr Gimbert said the knife in a public place occurred when he was sitting his car when a male approached him and grabbed his arm.

He said Kime told the man, out of fear, he had a knife and would use it. Mr Gimbert said Kime would be returned to the mental health unit upon his release where procedures would be put in place to stop him from escaping again.

Kime was sentenced to a nine-month probation order.

He was also ordered to pay $672.63 restitution, fined $150 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Magistrate Jeff Clarke explained he made the disqualification order to deter Kime and other people from doing fuel drive-offs.

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