Avalon ice addict Jack McLean jailed for string of offences
His social media photos tell of an idyllic lifestyle - but the life of this young northern beaches man spiralled out of control after he experimented with the drug, ice. Now he has been sentenced to jail.
Manly
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A northern beaches former private schoolboy whose life descended into a vicious cycle of ice addiction and theft has been jailed.
Jack McLean enjoyed a privileged upbringing, attending exclusive schools such as King’s School, Parramatta and Oxford Falls Grammar.
But the former Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach worker began to spiral out of control after he started taking the drug ice on a daily basis in his early 20s.
The 24-year-old from Avalon was hauled before Manly Local Court this week where he was jailed for shoplifting, linked to his addiction.
“You can only give people so many chances,” Magistrate Mark Richardson said when jailing him. “If they don’t take it, that’s it.”
His online profile tells of a privileged upbringing on Sydney’s northern beaches with photos of parties with mates, ski trips to Thredbo and sunny holidays.
But behind the Facebook photos is a troubled young man, torn apart by drugs.
Prescription medication, cannabis and alcohol became McLean’s drugs of choice when he was just a 15-year-old schoolboy, court documents reveal.
By 22 he was taking the deadly drug methamphetamine, also known as ice, every day.
To fund his habit and pay off drug debts he started stealing and he got by living on mates’ couches and at his mum’s house at Avalon.
Barrenjoey House at Palm Beach took him on as a waiter but the job did not last long and he was left unemployed and on benefits.
Police first caught up with him four years ago and since then he has built a record that includes drug possession, break-ins and drink driving.
His own family even went to police after he stole from them.
He shopped both his sister Matilda’s Thomas Sabo bangle and his brother Max’s silver Tiffany cufflinks to a pawn shop.
He also swapped his brother’s Nintendo Switch for cash.
Interventions failed to help the 24-year-old. He has been in and out of rehabs including the South Pacific Private Hospital in Curl Curl for his crystal meth addiction and he even went to a treatment program in Thailand in a bid to get clean.
His Facebook states he spent a year at the Discovery Academy in Utah, a boarding school for troubled teens, after attending the likes of The King’s School Parramatta and Oxford Falls Grammar.
Court papers also detail his previous brushes with the law.
In December last year he was taking crystal meth, Xanax and large amounts of alcohol every day.
He was found asleep in a Mitsubishi outside a home in Mona Vale holding a large knife to his chest.
The owner removed the knife before waking him up and sending him packing.
Police found him a few streets away and he told them he was “on a bender” and couldn’t remember why he was in the vehicle.
The month before he ran away from police after he was stopped at Barrenjoey Rd in Avalon for breaking a no right turn sign.
He was driving while disqualified and also gave police a false name but was easily identified as he forgot to take his passport when making his getaway.
In 2017 he broke into a luxury Palm Beach home and was found by the nanny when he opened the front door for her.
Another unknown male ran away but McLean stayed put and police found him sitting on a lounge watching TV. He had been staying there for about a week.
When he was taken to Manly Police Station he told them he had swallowed 30 penicillin tablets and he was taken to hospital.
His court appearance this week related to an incident on a bus bound for Avalon Beach on September 12.
The court papers reveal he had a drug induced cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital.
On discharge he went to Warringah Mall to pick up some fresh clothes as his pants and underwear were wet.
The papers state he walked into Target and took a pair of skinny jeans, trunks and socks and walked out without paying.
“I took these things because I pissed myself, I just got released from hospital,” he told police. “I was spiked and died this morning. I just needed some clean pants.
“I don’t want to go to jail, I can pay for them.”
This incident combined with two other charges for larceny over stealing from Chemist Warehouse led to his jail term.
He had breached his community correction orders from previous offences and Magistrate Richardson said he wasn’t willing to give him another chance to redeem himself in the community.
“I can see no other alternative,” he said.
He was sentenced to six months imprisonment and received a hug from his mum Suzanne before being taken away.