Birkdale father ‘creates more victims’ with ‘brazen’ jewellery theft at Wellington Point home

An ice addict for whom, a court heard, jail has been a revolving door will serve his sentence in the community after a ‘brazen’ jewellery theft which included family heirlooms, diamonds, sapphires and opals.

A man who stole a large quantity of jewellery, some of which included prized family heirlooms, in what a magistrate described as a “low down” offence, will serve his sentence in the community.

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Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates Court from custody via video link Joshua James Cox, 28, pleaded guilty to a string of charges including enter dwelling and commit indictable offence.

The court heard concerned neighbours, alerted by a home alarm, witnessed Birkdale man Cox and another man exit a Wellington Point home at around 10am on January 13 and proceed to a vehicle before driving off.

The court was told the defendant, an admitted ice addict, had stolen a “large quantity” of expensive family heirlooms after a security grill had been removed from a window to access the property.

Generic image of an arrest. Picture: Supplied

At a September 10 hearing for the matter at the Cleveland Magistrates Court, the court was told the haul, the value of which had yet to be established, included opals, sapphires, pearls, coins, diamond stud earrings, gold chains and modified Victorian era jewellery.

It was further heard the father of one had already spent 264 days in custody for similar offences, had been sentenced to 18 months’ jail on August 18 and had been on bail at the time of the offending in January.

Defence solicitor Layla King said her client had good support in the community and had a particularly rough stint in jail during his recent incarceration, which included being sent to hospital after his eye socket was fractured during a random attack.

Ms King further said Cox had recently shown a maturing in his thinking and a deeper appreciation of his offending.

The assurances were acknowledged by Magistrate Deborah Vasta but did not temper her anger at Cox’s “brazen” offending and his “long criminal history”.

“It is a really low down thing to do and creates more victims,” she said.

“Prison has been a revolving door for you.”

Cox was sentenced to a 12-month intensive correction order to be served in the community with two years’ probation.

A conviction was recorded.