Gold Coast fare evasion: Craig George Tiy, 48, pleaded guilty to fare evasion in the Southport Magistrates Court

A GOLD Coast man with a 33-page history of fare evasion offences fronted the Southport Magistrates Court today.

A GOLD Coast man with a history of fare evasion offences that runs 33 pages long fronted the Southport Magistrates Court today.

Craig George Tiy, 48, pleaded guilty to fare evasion after he was caught riding public transport without paying in July.

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Craig Tiy in Southport.

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Tiy’s lawyer Sam Jackson, of Bamberry Lawyers, told the court Tiy was a former motor mechanic who was on the disability support pension.

Mr Jackson said Tiy had been homeless for almost a decade after being shot in the face during a 2009 home invasion.

He said Tiy lost his left eye as a result of the shooting — which also shattered vertebrae in his neck — and he had been waiting for reconstructive surgery since.

The court heard Tiy spent much of his pension supporting his two children.

Magistrate Louise Shephard said she was sympathetic to Tiy’s situation.

Ms Shephard said the offence was “fairly minor” but if everyone evaded fares the public transport system would not function.

She also noted Tiy’s “1cm thick” stack of papers for previous offences before fining him $250.