Squatter left blatant clue about identity in Mt Julian shed

The Proserpine ‘lost soul’ was using water and electricity while staying illegally at the property.

A Proserpine man has admitted to squatting in a shed at Mt Julian. Picture: Brendan Francis

A MAN who was taking water and electricity while squatting illegally in someone else's shed has been labelled a "lost soul" by a magistrate.

But Proserpine Magistrates Court heard Caleb Ethan Cannon's crime was not very sophisticated, as he left a note with his name explaining he was homeless and offered to pay $200 a week to stay there.

Cannon pleaded guilty to seven charges this week, including two counts of trespass and one count of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said Cannon entered the shed at Mount Julian in July and found a caravan inside.

The owner lived in Western Australia but the property manager alerted them to the fact someone was squatting in the shed.

 

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Police investigated the shed and found Cannon's note, along with a bed that had been slept in and two homemade water pipes that were used to smoke marijuana, Sgt Myors said.

Later in the month police returned to the shed to find Cannon there again but he claimed his father knew the property owner.

Sgt Myors said the owner told police no one had permission to be there.

During the court proceedings, Cannon also admitted to other crimes including carving his own name into a police car and trespassing at Hotel Metropole when he had been banned for life.

Lawyer Elizabeth Smith appeared for Cannon, saying he knew the owner of the shed Cannon was squatting in and thought his father was going to reach out to the owner to make an arrangement but that never happened.

The 20-year-old had been in and out of homelessness since he was in Year 9 but was now living at a caravan park and hoped to pick up odd jobs there, Ms Smith said.

"He has been off methylamphetamine for four months," she said.

"Some of the main problems with his previous offences was his addiction to methamphetamine."

 

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Ms Smith asked Magistrate Damien Dwyer to consider giving Cannon a fine or probation, but the magistrate directly refused as Cannon had previously breached probation.

"People's houses are their castles, you don't touch them at all," Mr Dwyer said.

Mr Dwyer said Cannon's actions spoke louder than words and he was dubbed a "lost soul".

The magistrate ordered Cannon to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service.

Mr Dwyer warned Cannon he it was his last chance as community service was given as an alternative to jail.

"No bludging you've got to put your shoulder to the wall and do the work properly," Mr Dwyer said.

The Proserpine man was also given drug diversion for other matters.

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