Kerrod Tighe in Caloundra Magistrates Court for stealing car, scooter

A Sunshine Coast concreter’s claim that he was the one being influenced by a group of juveniles has been rejected after he faced court for several valuable thefts.

A Little Mountain concreter has fronted court after a stealing spree during which he stole three valuable items and became wrapped up with juveniles.

Caloundra Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 how Kerrod Tighe, 31, stole a car, a $4000 moped scooter and a red lawnmower between February 4 and February 23. 2022.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of stealing, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and attempting to enter a premises and commit an indictable offence.

Police prosecutor Amanda Brewer said the first victim from Moffat Beach called police on February 6 to report her Toyota Kluger stolen.

“She believed entry was gained to the house by walking through an open glass sliding door and the set of keys was obtained and the car was removed,” Sergeant Brewer said.

The car was found a few weeks later on February 23 at Kings Beach and the results from a forensic examination found fingerprints that matched Tighe’s.

The victim told police there was also a red Honda lawnmower in the boot of the stolen car that had been removed.

The lawnmower was found at an address in Wurtulla with fingerprints that matched the 31-year-old defendant.

A second victim reported her Peugeot scooter had been stolen from her unit complex at Kings Beach on February 10, 2022.

Sergeant Brewer said police found the scooter that day at a building in Golden Beach and the ignition had been hot-wired.

Kerrod Tighe outside Caloundra Magistrates Court.

When officers watched the CCTV footage that captured the scooter incident they saw three people walking into a carpark, including Tighe and two juveniles following him.

“The defendant is seen walking back and the two other males are seen pushing the scooter away from the location,” Sergeant Brewer said.

Solicitor Rod Morgan said his client had an upbringing where he was subject to drug addiction and serious crime.

Mr Morgan told the court Tighe had been associating with juveniles when he relapsed and lost his job, but was now working full time as a concreter.

“My instructions are that he didn’t have any direct involvement with taking (the scooter) … he was with them and thereby guilty of that offence as a party,” Mr Morgan said.

Acting Magistrate Raelene Ellis said she did not accept that the juveniles were the only ones responsible for taking the scooter.

“Your client is 31 and he is hanging around with a bunch of juveniles and you’re trying to tell me that the juveniles are to blame, he is the adult in the situation,” Magistrate Ellis said.

“These poor children are subject to his bad decision-making.”

Tighe was convicted and sentenced to 12 months’ prison to be released on parole immediately.

He was ordered to pay $500 in compensation to the scooter victim as the lock function had been damaged.