Brisbane man sentenced for stealing spree, highway attack on Gold Coast highway

Police were confronted by a screaming “grossly intoxicated” serial grog thief after an attack with scissors on a Gold Coast highway.

A court has heard a 29-year-old serial offender who stole more than $3,000 from liquor stores and Officeworks also attacked a man and his car with scissors while “grossly intoxicated” on a Gold Coast highway.

Mathew James Dewey of Loganlea appeared in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Kent St on June 3 where he pleaded guilty to 20 charges.

The charges included five counts of entering a premises to commit an indictable offence, charges of going armed to cause fear, common assault and wilful damage, among others.

The court heard between June 17, 2019 and February 29, 2021 Dewey stole alcohol from a string of bottle stores “to feed his addiction”, making off with up to $500 in loot at a time.

He also stole $840 in goods from Browns Plains Officeworks on Browns Plains Road, for a total cache of $3087.90.

But according to the prosecution, the worst of his offending happened on November 22, 2020.

Shocked road users called police with reports of a man armed with a knife walking around on the Gold Coast highway at Broadbeach, the court was told.

A “grossly intoxicated” Dewey kicked at a man’s vehicle, causing damage to a panel.

When the driver exited his car, a scuffle erupted and Dewey pulled out a pair of scissors, the court heard.

The man’s frightened partner came to his support and was struck in the back by Dewey, according to police.

Dewey kicked and stabbed at the car as the victims drove off.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Cochrane said the offending came on the back of an 11-page criminal and three-page traffic history.

It included a 12-month prison sentence for robbery last year and a 2011 NSW prison sentence for charges that included larceny.

Defence solicitor Layla King said her client enjoyed a good upbringing and had worked in scrapping before a drug addiction started in his teens and led to criminal acts.

Dewey had targeted a string of liquor stores to “feed his addiction”, Ms King said.

The court heard the defendant had spent 356 days in pre-sentence custody and had little ability to pay restitution owing to thousands in an existing State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) debt.

A division of the Queensland Revenue Office, SPER is the department responsible for the collection and enforcement of unpaid fines.

With his pre-sentence time declared served, Dewey was sentenced to 12 months’ prison with immediate parole release.

He was further sentenced to 12 months’ probation and placed on a $1,000 good behaviour bond for 12 months.

Convictions were recorded.