Zach Anthony Reed: Break-up spurs Logan man’s month of crime

An Ipswich court heard a man was going through a break-up when police located him with a shoulder bag filled with 0.22 caliber ammunition, knives, and blank Queensland driver’s licences.

Heartbreak and drug use are said to have been the catalysts in a “recidivist” offender’s most recent spree of crime, during which he damaged a home and seriously assaulted a corrective services officer.

Zach Anthony Reed, 29, of Waterford West appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Friday, April 22, via video link, where he pleaded guilty to 15 charges including stealing, wilful damage, unlawful possession of weapons, and serious assault of a corrective services officer causing bodily harm.

The court heard all of the offences were committed in a period spanning about a month, between July 16 and August 13 last year.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull told the court Reed had a relevant criminal history and could be considered a recidivist property offender.

Sgt Turnbull said the most recent bout of offences involved the “sustained” assault of a corrective services officer.

The first of the 15 offences committed last year, the evasion offence on July 16, involved Reed driving his car in an “unsafe” way and completing burnouts along a footpath.

Police observed several pedestrians jump out of the way of his car in an attempt to avoid being struck. They tried to intercept him but were unsuccessful, the court heard.

A number of other charges before the court on Friday related to a “serious” and “unusual” incident at a person’s house at Crestmead, during which Reed pulled up to the property in a stolen car, exited and walked up to the front yard.

Acting Magistrate Leanne Scoines said a witness heard a popping noise similar to a “small firework”.

They saw Reed walk up the house’s external stairs, pace around the veranda, and look into the house before returning to the stolen car and driving off.

“The witness heard the same popping noise before … you actually left in the vehicle,” Ms Scoines said.

“Then you drove the vehicle forward several metres and reversed and smashed into the … front gate, busting it open.”

She said a resident of the house woke to “banging” noises and the “smashing” of his loungeroom window.

Police observed a circular hole in the window, which was later found to be the result of a shot at the house. They located 0.22 caliber cartridge on the driveway several metres from the front gate.

Ms Scoines said police then pursued and apprehended Reed, finding 0.22 caliber ammunition, a couple of knives, and a number of blank Queensland driver’s licences in a shoulder bag strapped to him.

Also in his possession were drugs, a black rectangular taser, a black-coloured face mask, and an extendible baton.

Later, while in custody, the court heard Reed struck a correctional services officer several times in his shoulder, neck, and head area while the officer was trying to put him back in his cell.

The officer was said to have experienced pain, bruising, headaches, and nausea for weeks after the assault.

Defence lawyer John Wilson said his client had spent a majority of his 20s in custody and was now “sick and tired” of jail.

He said Reed’s recent criminal behaviour began after he and his ex-partner split and he re-engaged with drug use. He had long suffered an addiction to ice.

The court heard Reed has a good relationship with his mother and siblings as well as his eight nieces and nephews.

He completed Year 9 before being expelled for fighting, since obtaining a number of certificates. He hopes to work in the vehicle dent repair industry in the future.

“He wants to ultimately find himself in a relationship and obtain a house and live a … responsible life in the community,” Mr Wilson said.

Magistrate Leanne Scoines noted the offences occurred while Reed was on parole and took into account the fact he had spent just over nine months in custody to Friday.

She called the young man’s conduct on the road, with respect to the evasion offence, “shocking” and “outrageous” and said it demonstrated a “real degree of immaturity”.

She said the incident which occurred at the Crestmead house showed a similar disregard for the safety and wellbeing of others.

Reed received a head sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment for the evasion offence and another 12 months for the serious, “unwarranted and unnecessarily violent and abusive” assault of the corrective services officer, with immediate parole eligibility.

He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for two years for the evasion offence and another two years for driving without a licence.

Ms Scoines declared the time Reed spent in presentence custody as time served and recorded convictions.

Originally published as Zach Anthony Reed: Break-up spurs Logan man’s month of crime