Drug user Terry Preece tells Heidelberg court he wants to appeal his ‘lenient’ sentence

Most crims would argue their sentences are too long, but not this thief. While being sentenced for a year-long, drug-fuelled crime spree across Melbourne’s east, he interjected from his prison cell to ask how he could “get more time”.

Terry Preece told the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court his offences were so serious that he should be jailed for longer. Picture: Generic

A heroin addict has told a Melbourne court he wants to appeal his sentence after being handed a prison term he said was too short.

Terry Preece, 38, faced the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday via video link where he pleaded guilty to a number of thefts from retail outlets in Melbourne’s east.

Victoria Police Senior Constable Matt Isaac told the court the thefts, which occurred in Box Hill, Plenty Valley, Doncaster East, Chirnside Park, Malvern East and Ringwood saw him predominantly target safes and tills found in closed shopping centre kiosks between December 2018 and November 2019.

During one theft from a Doncaster East florist in July last year he stole $2600 cash, while he pocketed a Fendi men’s clutch valued at $2350 when he stole from a store at Chadstone shopping centre in December 2018.

Police identified Preece from CCTV images in the vast majority of the thefts, the court heard.

Preece’s lawyer, Royce Dekker, told the court his client was addicted to heroin and had previously served jail time for similar drug-fuelled offending.

After first questioning what a “men’s clutch” was — a type of men’s handbag — Magistrate Ian Alger sentenced Preece to 10 months’ jail with 85 days of pre-sentence detention counted as time served.

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But Preece interjected from his prison cell and told the court the severity of his offending should entitle him to a longer stint behind bars.

“These burglaries keep continuing so they should get longer,” Preece said.

“How can I appeal and get more time on these? It’s not enough for all them burglaries that I’ve committed.”

Mr Alger told Preece to speak with his lawyer, Royce Dekker, if he had questions regarding his sentence.