Man faces court after calling in fake robbery after refusing to leave Mordialloc hotel
An argumentative drunk who had a few too many at a Mordialloc pub was ordered by police to go home. But what he did as soon as cops’ backs were turned got him into even more trouble.
Inner South
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An alcohol-fuelled man upset at being booted from a Mordialloc hotel made up a fake armed robbery to trick police who told him to go home.
Thomas Curry yesterday pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court to drunk and disorderly and making a false report to police.
The court heard police were called to the Main St hotel to deal with an argumentative person, arriving to find Curry about 12.30am on April 1.
Police took the 41-year-old forklift driver’s details and told him to go home.
But he refused and loitered around the area until the officers turned their backs. He seized the moment, phoning triple-0 to report an “armed robbery” in nearby Aspendale Gardens.
The officers ran to their divvy van and drove off to the “robbery”, only to be told en-route the contact phone number for the fake crime belonged to Curry.
Officers returned to the hotel to find Curry still hanging about. He was arrested and taken to the police cells to sober up.
In court, Curry’s lawyer said his client had alcohol problems and admitted he was wrong as soon as he sobered up.
He was remorseful, regretful and this was the first time had “engaged in this sort of stupidity”.
The lawyer said little harm had been done as the officers had only travelled around the corner before the fake call out was discovered.
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Magistrate Jade Bott said Curry, who had several priors for crimes related to alcohol abuse, needed help.
“This offending is inherently serious,” Ms Bott said.
“(You are) someone that has battled alcohol addition for a long time, but you haven’t addressed that.”
Curry was placed on a 12-month community corrections order and must attend alcohol counselling.
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