Jesse Liam Van Lathum pleaded guilty to armed robbery

A stolen Mazda was returned to its owner, but three days later, the man who first took it returned and this time, he was armed.

Jesse Liam Van Lathum, 30, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon, possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, along with other offences, when he faced Maryborough District Court on Thursday.

A man who took a Mazda later stole it again, pointing a sawn-off shot gun at the owner when he tried to stop him.

Jesse Liam Van Lathum, 30, pleaded guilty in Maryborough District Court on Thursday to armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon, possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, along with other offences.

The court heard Lathum had been in the stolen Mazda and at one point had also stolen fuel.

Police recovered the car and returned it to the victim’s house, the court was told.

Three days later, Van Lathum was walking down a street with a sawn-off shot gun, the court heard.

He saw the car he had been using three days earlier and he still had a key.

Van Lathum went to unlock the car, the court was told, and the victim noticed him.

The victim attempted to stop him and Van Lathum produced the shot gun and aimed it towards him, causing the other man to back away, the court was told.

A child was present and had to be taken inside for her safety.

Van Lathum then stole the car, the court heard.

The next day, on November 20, 2024, police carried out a search warrant at his house and found the shot gun.

The police also found a large amount of ammunition of different calibers and 1.1 grams of meth.

Van Lathum was arrested and did not participate in a police interview, the court heard.

Jesse Liam Van Lathum, 30, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon, possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, along with other offences, when he faced Maryborough District Court on Thursday.

He had been in presentence custody since that time – a period of 190 days.

The court heard the victim suffered harm as a result of the firearm being produced, which would have been a “terrifying experience”.

Van Lathum was supported in court by several family members.

Defence barrister Ed Whitten said it was “something of a tragedy” that Van Lathum was before the court at all.

He said Van Lathum had a solid upbringing, got a trade and was working “hard and happily” until he was injured in a workplace accident.

He had struggled with drug addiction since.

However, Mr Whitten said his client was now free from drugs for the first time in many years.

Judge Terry Gardiner said he had no doubt the offending would have caused trauma to the victim, particularly the use of the sawn-off shot gun.

He noted Van Lathum had a “tragic accident”, falling from scaffolding when he was 19, which had led to him taking pain medication.

Mr Gardiner sentenced Van Lathum to a total of five years’ jail.

A parole eligibility date was set for July 20, 2026.

The time he had spent in presentence custody was declared as time served.

Originally published as Jesse Liam Van Lathum pleaded guilty to armed robbery