Dean Phelan Bates in court for enter with intent, theft, drugs

A serial thief has been told he was “lucky” to avoid jail after pleading guilty of stealing from multiple businesses across Bundaberg.

Dean Phelan Bates told the judge he hoped they would meet again under better circumstances.

A serial thief has been told he was “lucky” to avoid jail time after pleading guilty to 24 charges in a Bundaberg courthouse.

Dean Phelan Bates was convicted of the charges on Monday, April 18, 2023, which included several stealing charges, two counts of enter with intent, driving without a licence, drug offences and several breach of bail conditions.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy told the court Bates had spent 74 days in presentence custody, and it was only the generosity of the prosecutor’s sentencing submissions that allowed his release on parole.

“You were very lucky to have that prosecutor on the day,” he said.

Fear on the streets of Murgon, the most dangerous postcode in Wide Bay Burnett

The magistrate did not discuss the details of the offending, and proceeded straight to sentencing, however court documents revealed a string a stealing attempts both successful and unsuccessful.

The first offence dated August 16, 2022, where Bates and a co-offender visited the East Bundaberg Mini Storage in the dead of night.

It was revealed a security guard making evening rounds spotted Bates inside the security fencing.

The guard confronted Bates who lied when questioned, giving him a false name and claiming he had his own storage unit at the site.

The guard escorted Bates back to his car, and told him and the co-offender to return during business hours.

Upon returning to his rounds, the guard noticed a hole cut by bolt cutters, and two units with locks cut.

He also noticed the units had been ransacked with their contents set close by, seemingly ready for collection.

The court documents revealed while no actual theft took place, the guard’s body-cam footage allowed police to track down Bates later that day and he was arrested.

The documents also revealed during his arrest police discovered a glass pipe and a small container with cannabis.

When questioned by police, Bates said he had no recollection of the storage units.

A second string of incidents occurred later that month when Bates attended a Bundaberg service station and filled his car with $80.38 of fuel.

Documents revealed he made no attempt to pay before driving away from the scene where police intercepted him for driving without a licence.

Bates told police he was on his way to pay for the fuel, but had no money to do so and was not aware his licence had been revoked due to demerit points.

The court documents revealed several incidents of theft had taken place at Dan Murphys where, on three separate occasions, Bates went to the store and selected an item before heading to the cold room.

Once in the cold room he placed the bottles in his pants before leaving the store, making no efforts to pay for the items.

The documents revealed on one occasion Bates was questioned by a shop attendant who had grown suspicious and Bates became aggressive before pushing his way out of the store.

The final stealing offence occurred on January 21, 2023 where Bates and another woman attended a Bundaberg grocery store, making their way around the store collecting items.

The pair placed a number of items in Bates’ backpack before attempting to leave, where they were confronted by the store manager.

Dean Phelan Bates pleaded guilty in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court.

Bates told the manager he had forgotten his wallet before he and the women pushed their way out of the store, the woman still in possession of a pack of steaks and iced coffees in Bates’ backpack.

The documents revealed Bates and the woman were located later that day, the woman still holding the steaks however the backpack was no longer on Bates person.

He was taken to the watchouse.

Bates had a minor criminal history before his string of offending in late 2022.

“Your criminal history is quote ‘not too bad,’ with minor offences in 2014 and 2015 totalling seven offences,” Mr Kennedy said.

Mr Kennedy encouraged Bates to clean up his act or he would return to jail.

Bates was sentenced to two months jail for the enter with intent offences, which was immediately suspended for eight months.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and restitution was sought on the theft charges.

He was placed on 12 months probation. Convictions were recorded on the remaining charges.

Originally published as Dean Phelan Bates in court for enter with intent, theft, drugs