Corey John Coombes almost jailed after stealing tampons from Warwick Priceline

The Granite Belt man racked up more than a dozen offences including drug driving, drug possession, obstructing police and stealing.

A Granite Belt man has racked up a string of more than a dozen charges over the past year, including obstructing police and stealing tampons and artificial grass. Photo: iStock

A Granite Belt man has narrowly avoided time behind bars after carrying out a string of petty crimes over the past year, including the unusual theft of tampons from Priceline.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa told the Stanthorpe Magistrates Court, the first of Corey John Coombes’s 13 offences began on August 1, which included driving without a licence and speeding.

The 31-year-old was later busted drug driving with marijuana in his system on Railway Street on November 28.

Sergeant de Lissa said Coombes also took a piece of artificial grass from the front of a Gatton property on June 12.

Sergeant de Lissa said just days later the 31-year-old stole feminine hygiene products from Warwick Priceline by hiding them beneath other purchased items.

Despite a pile of offences stacking up, Coombes failed to appear in court and a warrant was out for his arrest.

“At 11am on June 18 on the Matthew Street footpath (Coombes) was approached by police, and acknowledged police before turning and running away,” Sergeant de Lissa said.

Stanthorpe police Senior Constable Matt Shield said at the time the officer arrested Coombes after a short foot chase.

Police found 11.8g of marijuana, a glass water pipe, bong, scissors, and a metal grinder during a search of the man’s Thulimbah home on July 16.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman said his client used drugs to cope with a difficult period in his life.

“His relationship with his partner has broken down and with the child custody disagreements he turned to drugs as a way of dealing with this stress,” he said.

Coombes pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing, one count each of obstructing police, possessing drugs, failing to appear, possessing an item connected to a crime and speeding, and three counts of possessing drug utensils.

The Thulimbah man was sentenced to two months’ jail but released on immediate parole.

He was also fined $1516, disqualified from driving for two years and nine months and ordered to pay $407.15 in restitution.