Jake Wood pleads guilty to stalking, trespass and theft of women’s clothing
A man has avoided jail after confessing to stalking women and attempting to break into their homes in Tullamarine and stealing their clothes for sexual pleasure. Most worryingly, he told police he doesn’t think he can quit.
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A creep who tried to break into women’s homes to steal their clothes for sexual gratification has told police he doesn’t know if he can stop himself reoffending.
Jake Wood, formerly of Tullamarine, fronted the Broadmeadows’ Magistrates Court on February 19 where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of trespass, stalking and theft.
Senior Constable Ross told the court Wood, aged in his 20s, was born with a Fragile-X syndrome, a condition that limited his intellectual and emotional development.
She told the court his offending began in 2015 when he stole leggings belonging to his sister and a pair of his mother’s underwear.
While living in Tullamarine he became enamoured with two of his female neighbours and left them love letters between 2017 and 2018 professing his attraction to them, the court heard.
On both occasions Sen-Constable Ross told the court Wood was either rebuffed or ignored, prompting him to try to break into their properties while they weren’t home.
Wood later confessed to police his intention for breaking in was to try on and steal the women’s clothing for sexual pleasure, Sen-Constable Ross told the court.
But he either failed to gain entry to the properties or became scared as he climbed through their windows and fled empty-handed.
Sen-Constable Ross told the court Wood also stalked a former supermarket colleague between 2016 and last year, including making multiple attempts to contact her on social media and waiting in the carpark after work to watch her walk to her car.
One occasion saw Wood attempt to follow the woman home in his car to try and find out where she lived, Sen-Constable Ross told the court.
And one of his terrified neighbours was forced to call police in April last year after he tried to break into her home through her bathroom window early one morning while she was inside.
After initially denying any involvement in the crimes, Sen-Constable Ross said Wood eventually made full admissions to police and told them he was worried he could not stop.
“He expressed deep remorse and self-loathing at the urges that drive him to offend,” Sen-Constable Ross told the court.
“But (he) fears that he will be unable to do so (to stop),” Sen-Constable Ross said.
Wood’s defence barrister Cameron Baker told the court his client had no criminal history and has since stopped working at the supermarket in an effort to distance himself from one of his victims.
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Mr Baker told the court Wood expected to gain new employment soon and he urged Magistrate Martin Grinberg not to convict Wood because it may harm his future employment prospects, which were already limited given his intellectual disability.
But Mr Grinberg said the seriousness of the charges and their disturbing behaviour warranted a conviction and he sentenced Wood to an 18-month community corrections order.
“It has to be made clear to Mr Wood that it is unacceptable and it has to be made clear how serious it is,” Mr Grinberg said.
“Your difficulties don’t entitle you to make it difficult for other people … they’re entitled to live a secure and safe life in their own homes.”