Leigh Anthony Flower guilty of shoplifting spree across Bendigo

A man who filled Bendigo “shopkeepers with dread” has pleaded guilty to a stack of thefts.

A man who filled Bendigo’s shopkeepers with dread has been given “another pointless jail term” after pleading guilty to a string of thefts.

Leigh Anthony Flower appeared via a prison video link at Bendigo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to plead guilty to numerous shoplifting offences.

The court heard Flower was a serial shoplifter, who started his most recent string of thefts on November 9, 2020.

Flowers was at JB Hi-Fi Bendigo, Hargreaves St, when he stole a pair of black JBL headphones after he was asked to leave by staff, who knew him as he had abused them in the past.

On Tuesday, November 24, Flowers, armed with an empty green shopping bag, walked into the Bendigo Marketplace Woolworth and filled the bag with $100 of meat before leaving.

On Sunday, December 6, Flowers stole $20 of groceries within five minutes of entering the Kangaroo Flat Coles, grabbing items like a four pack of V Energy and a carton of milk.

Flowers next hit the Village Epsom Shopping Centre Chemist Warehouse at 1pm, December 19, where he grabbed a Dolce and Gabbana perfume, worth over $100, and a deodorant gift set, worth $12.99.

On January 27 Flower stole wrenches and other tools worth $273 from the Kangaroo Flat Bunnings Warehouse.

On Saturday, March 27, Flower stole a box set of Baccarat knives, valued at $1179.

Magistrate Patrick Southey said Flower was a regular of the court saying his list of priors “just goes on and on”.

“The shopkeepers of Bendigo must dread his appearance in their stores,” Mr Southey said.

Flower’s prison link video was muted, but the young man was seen yelling and acting agitated throughout the hearing.

His lawyer Karin Temperley said her client had significant mental health issues, with a large scar to his head the visible sign of an acquired brain injury.

She said he was being treated with antipsychotic depot injections.

Mr Southey said his only option was to sentence Flowers to “another pointless jail term”.

“It’s overwhelmingly a mental health problem, not a criminal problem,” he said.

“It’s just such a shame we live in such a prosperous community, relatively, but we can’t provide him with the support he needs.”

Flowers, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 14 days’ jail, with one day already served.