Stephen James Young pleads guilty to 18 charges

A former Sunshine Coast truck driver busted with a stolen car and illegal stash of drugs and weapons has learnt his fate in court.

Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A Sunshine Coast ex-truck driver has faced a local court charged with a number of offences involving a stolen car, drug possession and weapons.

Father-of-two Stephen James Young, 52, appeared on video link in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to 18 charges including unlawful possession of weapons, possessing dangerous drugs and unlawful use of a vehicle.

The court was told Young had been caught by police in a stolen car in August 2023, which contained a stash of weapons, ammunition and drugs.

Police prosecutor sergeant Jeanette Grigoris told the court Young had an extensive criminal history and was on parole at the time he was found with the stolen car.

“He was found in the possession of a stolen car, drugs, weapons and ammunition, despite being on parole for serious offences he still engaged in similar behaviour,” Ms Grigoris said.

“Since his sentence in the Supreme Court he has appeared on a further three occasions.”

Defence solicitor for Young Laura Nightingale told the court the 52-year-old, who worked for a number of years as a truck driver and a miner, had begun offending later in life following the break-up of his relationship.

“He instructs that he has always been a very heavy drinker, but obviously the issues came to a head in terms of his substance abuse when he turned to illicit substances and it can be seen he started offending late in life, in his early 40s he has started to commit offences” Ms Nightingale said.

“All of his offending since 2014 has been associated with drug use.”

Maroochydore Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist told the court Young’s offences were of a serious nature, adding the 52-year-old had become “immersed in this world of drugs”.

“Rehabilitation can only really be achieved during those periods when you are in the community but you didn’t avail yourself to them,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

Mr Stjernqvist sentenced Young to 12 months’ behind bars.

Young will be eligible for parole on April 26, 2024.