Snake thief Matthew Gatt’s hoodie excuse loses legs in Melbourne court

Matthew Gatt says he had no idea two carpet pythons slithered into his hoodie while he posed for this photo. But a Melbourne magistrate wasn’t buying his story.

Snake thief Matthew Gatt says he had no idea two pythons slithered into his hoodie while he posed for this photo.

The picture, with three carpet pythons draped around his neck, was taken at a Snakebusters’ reptile display inside Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on December 9.

But the photo would later lead investigators to track him down and charge him.

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Matthew Gatt, 23, was fined $8000 for stealing snakes.

Gatt, 23, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court today where he pleaded guilty to theft and possessing protected wildlife without a license.

But despite admitting his crimes, he bizarrely tried to downplay his intentions.

The wannabe firefighter said he never intended to steal the snakes, and that they must have “secreted” themselves in his grey hoodie.

It wasn’t until he was driving home from the event, he claims, that he came across one of the sneaky snakes in his car.

By this stage, organisers at the event were hunting him.

Another exhibitor identified him from the photo, taken by Snakebusters’ owner Raymond Hoser, and a call was made to Gatt, who then swiftly returned the snake he claims he found crawling in his car.

Magistrate Denise Livingstone wasn’t buying his story, and quickly asked about the second missing snake, which was found during a police raid on his property 22 days later.

“Sounds like he is mocking me,” Ms Livingstone said, before ordering him to go outside to discuss with his lawyer and return with the truth.

Snakebusters founder Raymond Hoser said Gatt’s story of how he found the snakes was “rubbish”. Picture: Steve Tanner

But on his return, Gatt stuck to his story, adding that he never returned the second snake after he supposedly fell upon it in his car in similar circumstances to the first one because of “a combo of embarrassment and peer pressure”.

He had no intention of stealing the snakes, his lawyer said, adding: “It seems like a far-fetched story, but it’s the truth, your honour.”

“That’s crap. Rubbish,” Mr Hoser, sitting in court, remarked.

Mr Hoser, then called to give evidence, told the court it was a “well executed, well-planned heist” that could have seen authorities strip him of his reptile license.

He said the snakes were worth about $30,000.

The prosecution dismissed suggestions by Mr Hoser that Gatt was sent to steal the snakes by an industry rival, saying there was no evidence of this.

Despite having no priors and concerns a conviction could affect his current job applications with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Ms Livingstone convicted Gatt, saying she had to deter others from doing the same.

“We can’t have people stealing snakes,” she said, before stinging him with an $8000 fine.

“It’s an amazingly stupid thing to do.”