Capalaba drunk attempts to steal boy’s bike one day, gropes girl the next all while on parole

A serial offender on parole since 2012 was set straight by an exasperated magistrate after claims a drunken crime spree were but a “joke”.

A MAN who groped a 14-year-old girl, tried to fight a 16-year-old boy for his bicycle and proceeded to threaten a protective father with a screwdriver has remained in jail.

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Appearing via video link at the Cleveland Magistrates Court yesterday Kyle Joseph Purcell, 30, pleaded guilty to attempted stealing, stealing, threats, and common assault.

The court heard Purcell had offered to fight a 16-year-old boy for his bicycle after a demand to hand it over was rejected at 7.30pm on February 17 on Birkdale Rd in Birkdale.

Fearing an impending assault the victim rode to a nearby KFC from where he called his father, who was later threatened by a fleeing Purcell with a screwdriver.

Purcell, a Capalaba man who lives with his mother, approached a 14-year-old girl in Birkdale the next day and asked if she could help him remove something from his foot. When she declined the defendant groped her buttocks and was punched in the chest by the shocked teen, who called police.

At around 3pm on the same day a Capalaba bottle shop manager witnessed Purcell walk out of the business with a bottle of liquor down his pants.

The defendant was not known to either victim.

Capalaba man Kyle Joseph Purcell remains in jail after drunken offending.

Police prosecutor Katherine Steele said the incidents were all caught on CCTV and were committed while he was on parole for like offending.

The court heard Purcell had been on parole for various offending since 2012 and had spent his last four birthdays locked up.

Defence solicitor Lyle Parker said his client’s offending had occurred towards the end of his parole period and was mainly driven by alcohol abuse.

“He is less of a threat when he is sober,” Mr Parker said.

Mr Parker said the man would be best served by taking part in an alcohol rehabilitation program.

Purcell received a strong rebuke from Magistrate Deborah Vasta when he complained of missing his friends and family and claimed he “had only been joking” when he preyed on the teens.

“It wasn’t a joke to the boy and girl,” Ms Vasta said

“It (the offending) was on CCTV.

“You’ve been on parole since 2012 and you keep breaching it.

“It is up to you whether you stay in jail.”

Purcell was due for release from prison in January next year for previous offending and was sentenced to three years probation with convictions recorded.

He was also placed on a two-year non-contact order which prohibits him from coming within 20 metres of his victims.