Kahle Tolson front Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court in huge ‘super case’ numbering 50 charges

A Kurunjang man with a rap sheet longer than the Rambo knife he chased a security guard with, says the overdose death of his mum has scared him straight.

Kahle Tolson told Moorabbin Magistrates Court his mother’s heroin overdose completely changed his outlook on life.

A man who chased a security guard down a Brunswick street while armed with a Rambo knife has pleaded guilty to 50 charges in what has been described as a “super case”.

Kahle Tolson pleaded guilty to 50 charges at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on November 23, telling the court his mother’s overdose in late 2021 had “completely changed his outlook on life.”

The 28-year-old Kurunjang man faced Magistrate David Starvaggi over a staggering list of charges including burglary, obtaining property by deception, possessing a weapon, failing a blood test after driving a vehicle, driving in a dangerous manner, contravening bail conditions, assault with a weapon and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

The court heard Tolson’s serious offending began in 2017, when he took an acquaintance's white Suzuki Swift and attempted to break into a car dealership in Ravenhall before being confronted by a female security guard, who he punched in the face multiple times.

Tolson later smashed into a traffic police at a Kingsbury Dr intersection in Bundoora.

Unable to be interviewed by police at the scene, Tolson later claimed he had smashed the car due to torrential rain. Attending police officers noted the weather as dry, with good visibility and light traffic.

Tolson also denied having been at the car dealership earlier in the night.

He then returned a blood test showing positive levels of cannabis.

The court heard Tolson broke into a Brighton home in 2018, stealing an array of household items including a wallet, a Monash University parking pass, a Dyson vacuum cleaner, kitchen knives and clothing items including lingerie.

Tolson and his co-accused went to the Cheltenham Victoria Cellars two days later, and used a credit card from the stolen wallet to purchase alcohol, a packet of Dunhill Blues and two chocolate bars.

The duo continued on to a Rebel Sport store in Mentone, walking through the store with their newly purchased beverages, and made two transactions before the card was declined. They exited the store, throwing their empty cans into the rubbish.

Police forensically tested the cans, later identifying both men and Tolson fled to Queensland.

In February 2021, dashcam footage showed Tolson breaking into a Nissan Navara in the Melton railway train station carpark, but he was unable to start it.

In January 2022, police were called to a domestic dispute in Kurunjang. When police arrived, Tolson was in a silver VW Passat, reversing out of the driveway. Tolson rammed into one police car using the adjoining footpath to escape.

Police followed with emergency lights on and signalled for Tolson to pull over.

He didn’t stop, so police pursued him until it was unsafe to do so. Police located the car on January 23 at an empty Melton property.

On bail at the time and subject to a 10pm – 6am curfew, Tolson handed himself into police.

Tolson told police he was “in the midst of a mental breakdown”, as his mother had recently died.

In his final bout of offending, Tolson chased a security guard of popular Fitzroy nightclub Glamorama down Brunswick St with a double edged ‘Rambo’ knife, before he was arrested by police.

The court heard a letter from Tolson, where he wrote he was “very ashamed” of his offending.

“My mother passed away in December 2021 from a heroin overdose,” he wrote.

“I was absolutely shattered. I was taking ice again, but it was only making things worse. I stopped ice in February, and I have not touched it again.”

Tolson declared his love for his nan, saying “she is all I have left”.

“My mother’s death has completely changed my outlook on life,” he wrote.

“I have cut off the bad, so-called friends I used to hang around. I just want to be with my nan. She is so wonderful and supportive of me. She has never given up on me.”

Magistrate Starvaggi said he took into account Tolson’s letter and the impact his mother’s death had on him, but said it was necessary to sentence him with time behind bars.

“I need to place focus on specific deterrence and to highlight the significance of his crimes,” he said.

“This extraordinary level of offending can only be served by an immediate term of custody.”

Magistrate Starvaggi disqualified Tolson’s licence for two years and sentenced him to 150 days in prison, with 53 already served.

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