18-year-old Cody Hubbard fined over damages to Lake Innes shopping complex

A Port Macquarie teen has avoided jail time after an unprovoked attack on the Lake Innes shopping centre, followed by a car break-in and the theft of a bank card.

A teenager caused $19,030 in damages on a senseless, drunken rampage through a Mid North Coast shopping centre.

Cody Hubbard, was charged again after he broke into a car, stole a bank card, and bought cigarettes just one month later.

He appeared in Port Macquarie Local Court today, where magistrate Georgina Darcy told Hubbard she couldn’t understand why he would do such a thing.

The 18-year-old’s lawyer told the court his client had no reason for the behaviour, other than being drunk and angry that night.

His 22-year-old brother Craig is also accused of causing damage to the shopping centre and is yet to enter a plea to two charges of damaging property and one charge of assaulting a police officer.

The court heard that, around midnight on Saturday, March 5, a shirtless Hubbard and his brother walked through the Ellis Prd entrance of the Lake Innes shopping complex.

According to agreed police facts in Cody’s proceedings, they immediately started picking up the complex’s metal dining chairs before throwing them “over and over” into the large glass windows and main entry sliding glass doors of Coles.

The documents reveal that they continued for about three minutes, with Cody Hubbard throwing chairs “no less than 20 times”, causing partial shattering and extensive damage to the shopfront.

He also threw three glass bottles outside the complex, shattering them all over the ground and damaging a table.

Cody Hubbard then kicked the window of the bakery as he walked past, causing further damage.

The pair made no effort to actually enter the businesses, police facts state.

About 1pm on Wednesday, March 22, police saw Hubbard walking along Horton St wearing the same shorts and shoes he had on at the time of the offence, according to CCTV footage.

He was arrested before he admitted to committing the offences “for no other reason than being drunk and angry”, police facts revealed.

Police labelled the actions as “unprovoked, deliberate and irrational”.

While on bail for his crimes, Cody Hubbard broke into a red Mitsubishi Outlander and stole a Visa paywave card.

Between 2am and 3am on Tuesday, April 5, Hubbard used the card to purchase cigarettes and a lighter – totalling a value of over $60 – from a local tobacconist.

He then visited another Port Macquarie tobacconist where he used the card to purchase items valued at $50.

On April 6, Hubbard was interviewed and admitted to stealing the card and making the unlawful purchases, before returning it to police.

For the two instances, he was charged with aggravated littering, damaging property and two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

He pleaded guilty to all charges, and his lawyer submitted the early plea, Hubbard’s young age, employment status and lack of criminal record in defence of the crimes.

The young offender was convicted and sentenced at Port Macquarie courthouse on Wednesday.

“He’s seeking employment, working to acquire his white card, but for now is unemployed and therefore has limited capacity to pay a fine,” Mr Pahalawela told the magistrate.

“He was angry at the time, but has since had his first appointment with Headspace – he hasn’t received a mental health diagnosis yet.”

Ms Darcy said there’s “simply no explanation” for Hubbard’s behaviour, and told the offender there’s “no reason to take your anger out on a shop”.

The magistrate also spoke on the “significant inconvenience” Hubbard and his brother had caused to the public, especially store owners and patrons.

“I’m not sure what’s going on with you,” Ms Darcy said.

“But there needs to be a significant penalty, recognising the value of the damage.”

For the first incident, Hubbard was convicted and sentenced to a supervised Community Correction Order for 12 months, 80 hours of community service and must pay $9515 in compensation for half of the damage.

For the most recent wrongdoing, he was convicted and sentenced to a Conditional Release Order for 12 months.

His 22-year-old brother is set to appear before Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday, July 6, for two charges of damaging property and one charge of assaulting a police officer.