‘I needed to be incarcerated’: Marrickville criminal reveals the downward spiral of ice addiction
Officers knew something wasn’t quite right when they saw Nasser Taouk riding a fancy racing bike without the required cleat shoes. However, they could never have predicted the haul of stolen goods they subsequently found.
Inner West
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One of the most prolific thieves in Sydney has revealed a burning desire to referee at the elite level of Australian rugby league, a court has heard.
Career criminal Nasser Taouk, who was jailed for three years over a string of possessing stolen property charges on Tuesday, revealed in a heartfelt letter how the drug ice had led him down a path that led him to the Burwood Local Court.
His staggering horde of stolen property, including a number of mountain bikes worth thousands of dollars and a cache of mobile phones and electronics, was uncovered by detectives after initially questioning him in Marrickville in February for not wearing a bike helmet and cycling cleats.
He was found guilty of some offences during a recent hearing and had plead guilty to others, including several counts of possessing stolen property and possessing a prohibited weapon.
“Since taking ice my life has spiralled downhill and things happened that shouldn’t have,” he wrote to Magistrate Margaret McGlynn.
“It taught me a very hard lesson in life … I needed the time to be incarcerated to take me back to reality.
“I take full responsibility for all my actions which I will not make any excuse for and I am very remorseful, I feel totally shamed. “
Court documents state that as well as ice addicts anonymous, Taouk has also completed an NRL refereeing course while on remand at the Macquarie Correctional Centre.
His sentencing hearing also heard yesterday that Taouk had five institutional misconduct charges for possessing drugs while in custody and at the time he was arrested a baton and a baseball bat with metal nails in it was located.
Four personal cards, including another person’s ADF identification, several mobile phones, an amplifier and other stolen electronics were found after a search of his home.
His multiple-page criminal history included several robbery and break and enter offences, court documents state.
Police were alerted to Taouk on a Marrickville street after he was riding an expensive racing bike but without the matching shoes required to fit the pedals.
A car diagnostic device that Taouk was carrying when he was stopped was also found to be stolen which led them to uncover the stash of goods at his home.
“It’s a family friend of mine’s (the bike) … yeah check it’s not stolen,” he told detectives.
“Why were you going through the bin,” one officer asked.
“Because I’m a hoarder,” Taouk replied.
Noting he had a strong family support and a real chance of rehabilitation, Magistrate McGlynn ordered he serve 18 months of his total three-year jail term in custody before being eligible for parole.
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