A career criminal has the chance to turn his life around after stealing $700 worth of handbags and shoes

The man from Forest Lake has been using heroin since he was an 11-year-old, but now he says it’s time for things to change after fronting court for stealing a handbag, wallet and shoes.

A Brisbane man who racked up “a terrible history” of more than 27 criminal charges, including stealing and burglary, has been given one last chance to turn his life around.

Bounpheng James Chansisourath, 37, pleaded guilty to three fresh charges of stealing at the Sandgate Magistrates Court today.

The court heard Chansisourath stole $706 worth of goods from the Myer at Chermside on June 8.

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The loss prevention officer watched Chansisourath take a $295 DKNY handbag, a $119 Tommy Hilfiger wallet, and two Tommy Hilfiger sneakers priced at $129 and $169 respectively, and hid them under his coat and in his bag before he attempted to leave the store without paying.

Bounpheng James Chansisourath was caught stealing hundreds of dollars worth of handbags and shoes from Myer at Chermside. He is pictured outside of Sandgate Magistrates Court with his partner, who came to support him.

The stealing charges added to ten long pages of criminal history, prompting police prosecutor sergeant Troy Newman to advocate for jail time.

The lawyer for the defence argued Chansisourath’s crimes were born from a longstanding heroin addiction which began when he was just 11-years-old.

Since his most recent offence Chansisourath has been attempting to clean up his act, signing up to a suboxone program, planning a detox with his doctor ahead of a scheduled rehabilitation attempt and obtaining gainful employment for the first time “in many years”.

Magistrate Jennifer Batts said Chansisourath’s steps to address his drug addiction persuaded her to give him one last chance to cease offending outside of police custody.

He was convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with immediate parole so that he may continue his rehabilitation efforts.

The court heard that should Chansisourath relapse while on parole he will be taken into police custody to serve the remainder of his sentence.