Ashley O’Neill: Korumburra man pleads guilty to theft

A Korumburra thief who was seeking revenge stole thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment from a rural property.

A Korumburra man seeking revenge stole thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment from a rural South Gippsland property.

Ashley O’Neill, 26, pleaded guilty at Wonthaggi Magistrates’ Court on August 27 to charges including theft and knowingly using counterfeit money.

The court heard O’Neill stole $8000 worth of tools and equipment from the Outtrim property in July 2019.

The tools were located in a car and O’Neill smashed the boot and rear side window and took multiple items including chainsaws, a petrol generator and a toolbox.

O’Neill returned the chainsaws but his co-accused allegedly sold the remaining items.

In a police interview, O’Neill said he stole the items as “pay back”.

The court also heard the man stole a car and attempted to steal fuel from another vehicle in Leongatha in January 2020.

In February 2020, he also used a counterfeit $50 note to buy alcohol from an IGA store in Korumburra.

O’Neill’s lawyer James Livy said the man was an “entirely different individual” now and was “embarrassed and remorseful” for his offending.

Mr Livy said that O’Neill’s dad died when he was 18-years-old which caused him to have significant drug issues for seven years.

Mr Livy said O’Neill underwent rehabilitation at Odyssey House in Bairnsdale for almost 10 months.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington said the man’s offending was serious but his rehabilitation was “remarkable”.

“It may not be of any comfort to the victims,” Magistrate Wallington said.

“But in terms of the community in the future, it’s certainly in the community’s interest that you have done [rehabilitation].”

The matter was adjourned until September 3.

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