Darren Robert Nean was ‘frustrated, cold and lonely’, his solicitor claimed

The wet and cold had left the 35-year-old so frustrated he caused about $3000 damage to property to cars and businesses in Toowoomba’s CBD.

The 35-year-old blamed January’s hailstorm and floods for driving him into a wilful damage spree on Victoria St, Toowoomba.

A 35-YEAR-OLD man who caused $3000 damage to stores and vehicles in Toowoomba’s CBD blamed January’s wild hailstorm and floods for his offending.

Five of the six offences to which Darren Robert Nean pleaded guilty on Monday arose from incidents the day after the storm, his solicitor Kirsty Smith told Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Nean had been living a transient lifestyle and had been waiting for suitable accommodation but on that day he had found himself still out in the rain.

“He was frustrated, cold and lonely,” Ms Smith submitted.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Al Windsor said Nean had about 6.30pm that day been captured by CitySafe cameras smashing the side mirror from a Suzuki Swift parked on Victoria St where he was also caught on CCTV picking up rocks and throwing them at cars.

He had also taken a shopping trolley and used to smash the front sliding doors of a CBD business, causing $2563 damage, he said.

Given a “move on” direction to leave the CBD for 12 hours, Nean had returned later and verbally abused a woman leaving Grand Central Shopping Centre, the court heard.

Nean pleaded guilty to three counts of wilful damage, and one each of public nuisance, contravening a police direction and endangering the safe use of a vehicle by throwing an object.

Ms Smith said it was conceded her client had criminal history but his last entry was in 2017.

Nean was a disability pensioner and had entered early pleas of guilty, she submitted.

Magistrate Howard Osborne sentenced Nean to three months in jail but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith to hang over his head for nine months.

Nean was fined $150 and ordered to pay compensation totalling more than $2700.

Originally published as Darren Robert Nean was ‘frustrated, cold and lonely’, his solicitor claimed