Roofer Nathan James McElhone turns to crime amid building industry collapse

A Gold Coast tradie has revealed how the massive collapse of Australia’s building industry led him to spiral out of control and commit desperate criminal acts.

Melanie Whiting

less than 2 min read

June 22, 2022 - 4:30AM

Gold Coast Bulletin

Gold Coast

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A Gold Coast tradie says he was forced to steal petrol to get to work during the height of the Covid pandemic because builders stopped paying their bills.

The personal toll of Australia’s crumbling construction sector was on stark display in a Southport court room as Nathan James McElhone, 36, faced three charges of stealing.

The self-employed roofer said Australia’s struggling building industry and unprecedented wet weather led him to commit desperate criminal acts.

Last week it was reported the sector was facing a “massive collapse” with as much as 80 per cent of building firms haemorrhaging money.

On Tuesday, McElhone pleaded guilty to three stealing charges and one count each of driving uninsured, driving unregistered and using number plates of another vehicle.

He stole fuel from three Gold Coast service stations between April and November last year, Southport Magistrates Court was told.

Duty lawyer Lisa Searing said a remorseful McElhone had experienced a “particularly bad year” with Covid and the wet weather.

“A lot of builders gave him late payments or didn’t pay at all which put him in a position where he had to go to petrol stations and get fuel to be able to work to try to keep his business going,” Ms Searing said.

“He said it nearly broke him.”