Eddie Matthew Sutherland: Man sentenced in Warwick court over brazen thefts

A Warwick serial offender has fronted court after he broke into his neighbour’s shed to ransack their booze cabinet and drank stolen alcohol before even leaving the bottle shop. FULL STORY HERE:

A Warwick man who stole from a popular bottle shop and broke into his neighbour’s shed in a brazen series of thefts has blamed his serious alcoholism for the offending.

Eddie Matthew Sutherland went to the Criterion Cellars store in Rose City Shoppingworld at 2.45pm on March 9, selecting a premix scotch can and then knocking back the drink while still in the shop.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa told Warwick Magistrates Court that Sutherland hid the empty can behind another carton of alcohol and left the store, but was soon identified via CCTV and tracked down by police.

He said the 49-year-old told officers he was an alcoholic, but knew he had done the wrong thing.

Sutherland ran into trouble again only weeks later on March 22, this time entering the backyard of a Wood St home and forcing his way into the property’s back shed by destroying the lock on the door.

The Warwick man took a carton of XXXX Gold beer and a six-pack of Vodka Cruisers from the fridge, which combined with the damage to the lock left the victim $123.85 out of pocket.

Sergeant de Lissa said Sutherland had a lengthy criminal history that was clearly driven by substance abuse.

“Yes, it’s a little bit amusing going in and taking a can and drinking it, but actually breaking into someone’s house and stealing alcohol like that is a serious criminal offence,” he said.

Duty lawyer Clare Hine agreed the father of three had a significant alcohol problem, saying Sutherland’s addiction had spiralled within the past two years to the point he was drinking a 10-pack of spirits every day.

“He has been trying to rehabilitate, and has been cold turkey now for about four to six weeks, and his doctor is now at the point of saying he will prescribe antabuse to try and keep him on that road of sobriety,” she said.

“He took the drinks from his neighbour’s back shed after seeing them stock it earlier that day.

“He said the urge just took over and he just lost control, and it was the same walking around drinking that can in the bottle-o.”

Sutherland pleaded guilty to one count each of entering premises and committing an indictable offence and unauthorised dealing with shop goods valued under $150.

He was placed on probation for 12 months and ordered to pay full restitution.