Mildura Magistrates’ Court: Tyson Mitchell charged over ransacking churches

A low-life Mildura burglar has broken into churches across town, stealing donated money from people who would have helped him if he’d only asked, a court has heard.

Tyson Mitchell faced the Mildura Magistrates’ Court over a raft of offences.

A Mildura man who committed a string of break-ins at churches pocketing donations made by congregations has been told these institutions would have helped him if he’d only asked.

Tyson Mitchell pleaded guilty to a stack of charges relating burglaries from churches and homes as well as an assault charge.

On July 2 Mitchell and an unknown co-accused broke into a church of the Latter-day Saints, ransacking rooms, though they left empty-handed.

Tyson Mitchell has pleaded guilty to a number of burglaries from churches and homes as well as an assault charge.

Mitchell continued his offending by kicking in the front door of a property when the owners weren’t home and again ransacked the place, although the owner couldn’t tell if anything was stolen.

Mitchel also broke into the Holy Trinity church in August but didn’t manage to steal anything.

Also in August Mitchell broke into a Holden Commodore and began searching the driver‘s seat, however, was spotted by the owner, and a fight broke out which resulted in them both getting stabbed with scissors.

On September 1 Mitchell demanded to be let into a residential address and when the occupant refused he smashed three of their windows.

Mitchell also pleaded guilty to assaulting a person who he claimed used to be a friend.

On May 9 the victim of the assault pulled up to his house where Mitchel was waiting for him, Mitchell yelled that he was an “ice f--ker” before punching him in the mouth through the driver’s side window at which point the victim drove off.

In May Mitchell found a bank card that had been dropped outside Spotlight.

Once the victim realised they were missing the card, they checked their bank details and found a charge of $10.39 to BWS and another charge of $93.95 to Woolworths.

Also in May Mitchell broke into the New Life Christian Center and with the help of a co-accused and stole their safe which had $400 in it.

On May 23 Mitchell broke into the Turkish mosque in Mildura and stole a donation tin with $500 dollars in it.

Mitchell’s lawyer Emily Mecealfe submitted that Mitchell co-operated with police in every matter entered an early guilty plea.

“I don’t have anything to submit on this matter other than it’s 111 days of pre-sentence detention, it’s an early plea of guilty and he consistently admitted to offending,” she said.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan sentenced Mitchell to a total of 120 days in prison, 111 of which were deemed as already served, noting some of the institutions Mitchell broke into would have helped him out if he only asked.

“I note that a number of these charges involve religious institutions, these people are often very generous, and had you knocked on their door asking for help they possibly would have helped you,” he said.