Fountain Gate guard basher in court over assaults, Kmart thefts
A man who went on a Kmart shoplifting spree that ended in attacks on Fountain Gate security guards had been a free man for a day after spending five months inside for assaulting PSOs.
South East
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A jailbird with a 27-page rap sheet had only been out of prison one day before he attacked two Fountain Gate security guards who had stopped him stealing a trolley full of Kmart gear.
Within 24 hours of leaving Fulham Correctional Centre after serving a five-month stretch — for bashing PSOs — Gavin Keys was again assaulting authority figures.
In this bizarre, brazen incident he attacked two Fountain Gate security staff as he tried to leave the Kmart store with around $500 of nicked items before he was brought to ground with the help of bystanders.
Keys briefly appeared by video link at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and theft charges.
The Noble Park 39-year-old didn’t make any application for bail and was remanded into custody.
Court documents released to the Leader show about 5.30pm on June 24 Keys and a friend were seen by Kmart staff with a trolley full of clothing heading towards the exit.
They scanned and paid for a couple of items before trying to wheel the trolley out, but were stopped by two Fountain Gate security guards and asked to return inside the store.
Keys grabbed one of the guards from behind and wrestled with him until the second guard managed to drag him away.
But he broke free and then punched the first security guard multiple times to the chest and stomach and rammed the trolley full of clothes and other items into the second guard.
Shoppers were asked to phone 000 and helped wrestle Keys to the ground.
Police attended and arrested him and $439.50 worth of Kmart stock was recovered.
Keys was taken to hospital under police guard to get treatment for a cut to his head, and released the next day.
He told officers he went to help his friend who was involved in a scuffle with security guards and threw punches because he was “fighting for his life”.
He said he paid for some of the items, and the remaining items in the trolley were from other shops.
Documents show he has 27 pages of criminal history, including reckless cause injury, assault, thefts, drug offences and threats to kill, as well as failing to answer bail 16 times.
His defence lawyer said Keys would also be pleading to other charges when he next appears in court.
Magistrate Costas Kilias remanded him to face court again for a consolidated plea on July 13.
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