Shepparton Magistrates’ Court: Shannon Nightingale guilty of theft, criminal damage

A Shepparton man’s wild crime spree kicked off after he downed a bottle of metho and ended with him trying on a stranger’s clothes after he broke into their house.

Shannon Nightingale appeared at the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday August 1.

A Shepparton man downed a bottle of metho, broke into someone’s home, put on their clothes and tried to steal their car, a court has heard.

Shannon Nightingale pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, one count of burglary, one count of attempted theft of motor vehicle and one count of criminal damage (intentional damage/destroy).

The court heard the 33-year-old had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had previously completed a community corrections order for other matters before his latest series of offending kicked off when he downed a bottle of methylated spirits.

Nightingale then broke into a Shepparton house, found the owner’s clothes and changed into them on February 23 this year.

Nightingale then got in the homeowner’s car and attempted to start it before he was approached by the resident.

Nightingale, who has schizophrenia, drank a bottle of methylated spirits prior to his offending. Picture: Supplied

The homeowner told Nightingale to get out of the car, to which he refused, before fleeing the property leaving his smartwatch behind which police later found.

Nightingale had also taken a hammer out of a nearby ute and smashed a car window.

Police the found Nightingale, arrested him and took him to the Shepparton police station.

He then had a medical episode and was taken to Goulburn Valley Health and was later transferred to a Melbourne hospital where he almost died due to the substances he had consumed.

Following the incident, Nightingale told police he had schizophrenia; he was

hearing voices and thought he was “receiving messages” from his parents telling him to “get out” and that he was going to be killed.

Nightingale was arrested him and taken to the Shepparton police station where he suffered from a medical episode. Picture: Supplied

Nightingale’s lawyer Zoe Corbett told the court he had been getting treatment at mental health service Wellways in a special rehab program since December last year.

Ms Corbett said Nightingale was in the middle of an unwell episode at the time.

The court heard Nightingale had a prior conviction in 2018 for armed robbery.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski warned Nightingale of the consequences of his offendings but was aware he was seeking help.

Mr Zebrowski placed Nightingale on a good behaviour bond and encouraged him to continue seeking treatment from Wellways.

Nightingale will return to court in June next year.