Dwayne Edward Merz in court for stealing, causing alarm while armed, possessing a knife

A court has heard the sad story behind a man who had no recollection of stealing a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon from a Sunshine Coast liquor store while armed with a knife.

A man whose sobriety came into question after his brother’s death has been sentenced to jail after stealing a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon from a Kawana liquor store.

Dwayne Edward Merz, 39, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court to stealing, causing alarm while armed and possessing a knife in a public place.

The court Merz had entered the Liquor Land store at Kawana Shopping World on August 16, 2021, where he proceeded to take a spirit bottle.

Crown Prosecutor Alex Stark said Merz then told the shop assistant he wasn’t going to pay for the bottle, telling her he had a knife.

Mr Stark said the woman “acted calmly because she did not want to upset him” and let him leave the shop with the bottle as she felt he could have used the knife if provoked.

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As he left the store, Merz was heard telling the woman “I’m sorry, don’t call the police, I’m leaving now”.

The court heard police later found Merz in Warana, where he had stored two pocket knives in his backpack and was still carrying the bottle of liquor which was about three quarters full upon his arrest.

Mr Stark said Merz didn’t recall stealing the bottle and recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.225.

Defence barrister James Feely said two months prior to the offence his client had lost his brother to suicide and had been struggling ever since.

Mr Feely said the death caused Merz to “fall off the wagon” and he “has little memory of attending the alcohol shop” at Kawana.

The court heard Merz, who has remained sober while in custody for the past 10 months since his arrest in August, has worked within the prison system and wished to continue sobriety once released

Merz also wrote a letter of apology which was presented to the court.

Judge Glen Cash said Merz’s issue with alcohol needed to be controlled should he wish to change his life around.

“Unfortunately, you appear to be an alcoholic and that doesn’t go away, you have to avoid alcohol entirely,” Judge Cash said.

“People will be around to help you but it’s up to you in the end.”

Merz, who was serving eight months’ parole at the time of the offending at Kawana, was convicted and sentenced to one month in prison.

Judge Cash ordered Merz be eligible for release on August 16, 2022, after breached his parole for his previous sentence.