David Paul Molloy sentenced after looting more than $5k in stolen goods while on bail
A Woombye man made off with more than $5k worth of stolen items including a $4.5k chain from Cash Converters before being found with drugs at a train station a month later.
Police & Courts
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A Woombye man who stole more than $5000 worth of goods including a $4.5k chain from Cash Converters was arrested at Nambour train station with drugs a month later.
David Paul Molloy, 44, was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday, May 13, 2022 pleaded guilty for a raft of theft and drugs charges.
Court documents showed that Molloy’s most recent run of thefts began on August 29, 2021 when he stole a $51 bottle of vodka from BWS Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore.
The 44-year-old then went to Cash Converters on Horton Parade, Maroochydore on January 10, 2022, and made off with a jewellery chain worth about $4,500.
Molloy’s most recent stealing offence was for a range of tools totalling about $750 which he looted from Supercheap Auto in Nambour on January 22, 2022.
The court heard Molloy’s haul of items was valued at approximately $5,300 which were not recovered and had committed each of these offences while previously convicted and on bail for historic stealing charges.
Police later arrested the 44-year-old at Nambour train station a month later on February 22, 2022, after he was found with drugs, hazardous poisons, a knife while in public, a digital scale and clip seal bags, as well as failing to dispose of a needle and syringe.
Molloy had a 13-page Queensland criminal history spanning 27 years including drug offences, stealing, street violence toward police and vehicular offences, the court heard.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Brandon Newman said there was factual basis which suggested planning went into Molloy’s offences, including when he attended a premises multiple times and changed clothing to facilitate further offences within the same site.
Sergeant Newman asked for a head sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment to be handed to Molloy for the Cash Converters theft in light of his past offences.
Defence lawyer Liesel Rogan said Molloy was homeless and was able to secure temporary accommodation with a friend and applied for government housing during court link program.
Ms Rogan said the 44-year-old confessed to drug problems and has taken some steps in addressing underlying factors for his offending and asked for a total approach for Molloy’s sentence.
Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said Molloy was of mature age and had a “significant history of dishonesty and drugs charges.”
Molloy pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing after previous conviction, one count of trespassing, and one count of failing to appear in court.
His drug charges included two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, one count of offence to buy or possess s4 or s8 medicines or hazardous poisons, two counts of possessing a knife in a public place, one count of possessing property suspected of having been used in connection with a drug offence, one count of fail to properly dispose of needle and syringe, and one count of possession of utensils or pipes.
Molloy was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment cumulative for all charges and is eligible for parole on June 21, 2022.
Convictions were recorded.
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