Colin Mark Berry pleads guilty to break and enter over butcher theft

An ex serviceman who caused $3million in damages to an award winning restaurant at Yandina has faced court for allowing his car to be used in the theft of thousands of dollars worth of meat from the Gympie CBD.

A 45-year-old ex-serviceman who destroyed the popular Sunshine Coast Spirit House restaurant has returned to court for his role in a $2400 meat heist at Gympie.

Colin Mark Berry, from Monkland, sat quietly in the dock after pleading guilty to an enter premises charge related to the November 2021 theft from the Smithfield St butchers.

Police prosecutor Christie Mahoney told the Gympie Magistrates Court Berry had loaned his car to the people who carried out the theft.

He was given some of the stolen meat after the crime.

The car was “quite unique” owing to accessories added to it, including silver nudge bar and the absence of one side mirror, and thereby easy for police to identify.

Sergeant Mahoney said Berry had lent the car knowing it was to be used in the crime.

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The offence occurred three months after Berry’s August 2021 destruction of the Spirit House at Yandina, for which he was eventually jailed for six years.

The damage bill from that crime was more than $3million.

The court heard Berry had been a serviceman who spent time overseas, until he suffered “significant brain injuries” in an assault.

Colin Mark Berry was sentenced to five months jail for his role in the theft of more than $2400 in meat from a Gympie butcher after he lent the thieves his car.

He has since suffered from epilepsy, and although he started a new career as a registered nurse he had not been working since 2019.

Berry also had a past addiction to methamphetamines, and the court heard he could not remember who he was in company of the night he agreed to lend his car.

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Several family members sat quietly in the gallery in support of Berry during his sentencing Friday, and RSL Queensland wrote a letter of support for the 45-year-old.

Berry pleaded guilty to charges of enter premise and commit an indictable offence and breaching bail.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said Berry’s short, one page criminal history would normally place him in line for a community-based sentence for his crimes.

However his jailing over the destruction of the Spirit House left her with no choice but to hand him a prison sentence for this crime too.

Berry was sentenced to five months’ jail, but retained his parole eligibility date of November 23, 2023.

Originally published as Colin Mark Berry pleads guilty to break and enter over butcher theft