Thomas Keech faces court over string of thefts, bashing

A Thomson man who stomped on a man’s face in Geelong police cells will spend more time behind bars.

IN COURT.

A Thomson man who stomped on a man’s face in Geelong police cells will spend more time behind bars.

Thomas Keech, 21, faced Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday over the altercation and a string of thefts from unlocked cars dating from April to August this year.

The court heard Keech was in the Geelong cells in August 2022 when he got into an altercation with another person.

During the altercation, Keech punched the victim and used his left foot to stomp on his face.

The defendant, who appeared in court via video link from prison, did not address the magistrate throughout the hearing.

He also admitted to using stolen credit cards to splurge hundreds of dollars on cigarettes

Over a period of months Keech broke into cars in suburbs as far apart as Manifold Heights and Grovedale and used credit cards he found to buy cigarettes and food.

Several of the purchases were made late at night at service stations and convenience stores, spending up to $93 on cigarettes in one go.

In August, Keech stole a wallet from a BMW and spent hundreds of dollars at Harris Scarfe, Foodworks, Fantasy Lane and Prouds Jewellers.

Defence lawyer Richard Jakobson asked for his client’s youth and early plea of guilty to be taken into consideration during sentencing, though he acknowledged Keech’s extensive criminal history.

Magistrate John Bentley sentenced Keech to 180 days imprisonment over the thefts, with 144 days reckoned as time served.

Keech will be eligible for parole in the new year.

Originally published as Thomas Keech faces court over string of thefts, bashing