Murderer Bradley John Weekes pleads guilty to crime spree, robbery at Maroochydore

A man who served a life sentence for the brutal bashing murder of a North Queensland man has cropped up on the Sunshine Coast after threatening to stab two women when he stole their handbags.

Bradley John Weekes faced Maroochydore District Court while on remand on Tuesday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A convicted murderer has found himself behind bars once again after a meth binge led to him threatening to shoot and stab others over a bizarre handbag robbery on the Sunshine Coast.

Bradley John Weekes was jailed for life after brutally murdering Dennis Keith Steele with Gavin John Freer at Ayr in North Queensland in 2002. The convicted killer however cropped up in south east Queensland last year following the end of his sentence which expired in 2021.

Maroochydore District Court heard on Tuesday of the Burpengary man’s crimes, which were centred around his desire for meth money and stretched between July and August last year.

The court was told of the 43-year-old’s offences after he pleaded guilty to more than three dozen charges, including indictable offences of robbery while pretending to be armed and burglary.

Crown prosecutor Michael Andronicus listed many of the Burpengary man’s crimes which involved multiple counts of stealing and unlawful use of cars, along with a break in at a retirement complex.

Mr Andronicus said the robbery occurred on August 23, 2023, where Weekes pretended to be armed with a weapon when he stole handbags from the staffroom of the discount shop Silly Solly’s at Maroochydore.

Weekes after being charged with murder in 2002.

Mr Andronicus said two staff chased the then 41-year-old after he left the store with their handbags.

A shopping centre car park pedestrian saw Weekes being followed by the staff members, and stood in front of him.

“I’ll f---ing stab you,” Weekes told the pedestrian, who got out of his way.

The Burpengary man dropped two handbags, but ran off and ignored their pleas for him to stop.

One of the women approached Weekes who said “I have a knife I’ll stab you … f--- off b---h, I’ll stab you”.

Fearful of him carrying out his violent threats, they stopped pursuing him and called police.

The court heard Weekes was seen running through Sunshine Plaza and was told to stop when he held an item in his hand, raised it and said “f--- off, I’ll f---ing shoot you”.

Weekes was wrestled to the ground at Kmart Tyre and Auto where he resisted arrest. Police located small amounts of meth, testosterone, buprenorphine, diazepam, stolen keys and a speaker. The court heard he had no weapons on him at the time.

Weekes has been in jail ever since, spending 21 months in custody until his court appearance on Tuesday where he sat in the dock in his prison greens.

He pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

Defence barrister Sean Franklin told the court Weekes was “disgusted” by his behaviour, especially in the burglary when he found out about the old age of the residents.

Mr Franklin said Weekes, who was not shying away from his “raging addiction” to ice, came from a prejudicial upbringing and was convicted of murder in 2002.

The criminal barrister said Weekes was released on parole in 2018 in WA before his life sentence expired in 2021.

Court documents from Weekes’ murder appeal in 2004, which was dismissed, state he and Freer bashed Mr Steele to death, with his injuries likened to trauma from a “mild car accident”.

The court heard he moved to Queensland to be close to his children.

Mr Franklin said Weekes was introduced to meth by a friend which had effectively “controlled” his life ever since, with the father of two committing crimes to buy ice.

The court heard the 43-year-old had rehabilitated from drugs while in prison.

Judge Cash jailed Weekes for four years. He will be eligible for parole on June 26 next year.