Mobility scooter theft: Accused ‘cancer patient, sleeps with knife’
A pensioner has broken down in tears after being reunited with his mobility scooter as a court heard the alleged thief suffers from cancer and sleeps with a knife.
NSW
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A man accused of stealing an elderly man’s mobility scooter is a cancer patient who himself uses a wheelchair and sleeps with an illegal knife under his pillow, a court has heard.
Police will allege Daceyville man Jason Benett Pye stole Ultimo pensioner Laurence Adams’ $6000 mobility scooter from outside his MacArthur St home on November 8.
CCTV footage tendered to court appeared to show Pye riding the scooter down the street before officers found the vehicle at his housing commission unit on Boussole Road.
The court heard a search of the property on Tuesday found a prohibited butterfly knife, called a balisong, under the pillow in the accused’s bedroom and police have alleged he had the knife with him when stealing the scooter.
Prosecution argued that by sleeping with an illegal weapon, Pye is a risk to the community but defence urged the court to grant him bail so he can continue getting treatment for cancer which has spread to his lungs and spine.
The court heard 37-year-old accused has a lengthy criminal history for larceny, breaking and entering and not complying with court and police orders and most recently served a 16-month prison sentence.
But Magistrate Ross Hudson decided against putting Pye in custody because he would struggle to access his extensive medical treatments from jail.
“There is some merit to the submission that he will be vulnerable in custody as a result of his current state,” he said.
“I’m of the view that notwithstanding the concerns raised… (that) they can be mitigated with the imposition of stringent bail conditions.”
Adams thanked NSW Police through tears for returning his scooter on Wednesday, saying it felt like he had lost a limb. The 82-year-old had gone for a nap and accidentally left the keys in the ignition.
He broke down and told The Daily Telegraph he could barely recognise his scooter.
“Police have cleaned it up. I don’t know what it was like when they found it but I just feel like I’ve got something back that I’ve lost,” he said.
“And to me, it was like losing a leg. You can’t walk, I can’t do anything, I felt so lonely because when you’re old nobody wants you.”
“If I didn’t get the scooter back I don’t know what I’d do,” he said.
“I’d like to say to him (the alleged thief) why did you take it? He could have knocked on my door and said ‘either I’ll pinch your scooter’ or give him $50 - I would have given him anything. Don’t take part of my body.
“I feel sorry for him. Without the scooter I’m lost I can’t do anything I can’t walk. I’ve got a bad heart and I’d hate to be walking down the street and collapse.”
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