Julian Kratochvil pleads guilty to stealing from Queenslander

A former hospitality worker now working as a butcher has faced court after swiping almost $3000 from the Queenslander Hotel while serving on the pub’s staff.

Julian Kratochvil leaves Gympie Magistrates Court, on November 26, 2024 after pleading guilty to stealing $2850 from the Queenslander Hotel while he was an employee.

A former hospitality worker now working as a butcher has faced court after swiping almost $3000 from the Queenslander Hotel while serving on the pub’s staff.

Julian Kratochvil, of Tamaree, committed the offences while working at the Mary St business in June 2022, Gympie Magistrates Court was told while Kratochvil was being sentenced in late November.

Police prosecutor Allison Johnston said the 29-year-old stole $2850 in total between June 6 and June 13.

“This was not a spontaneous offence,” Sgt Johnston said.

She said Kratochvil admitted to the owners of the Queenslander that he had stolen the money, and paid it back.

Julian Kratochvil leaves Gympie Magistrates Court, on November 26, 2024 after pleading guilty to stealing $2850 from the Queenslander Hotel while he was an employee.

The court heard Kratochvil had a five page criminal history which included cases of imprisonment, mainly for drug offending.

Defence lawyer Chris Anderson said Kratochvil had battled with drug use but had been “off” them for six months.

He said his client was now working at a butchers and was considered by his employer a good and hard worker “when he shows up”.

There had been no issues with Kratochvil in this new job.

Magistrate Bevan Hughes ruled out any suggestion of probation for Kratochvil, saying he was “old enough to know better”.

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Kratochvil pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing while serving as a servant while working at the Queenslander Hotel, and was sentenced to nine months’ jail, with the sentence suspended for 18 months.

“When you’re an employee, you’re in a position of trust,” Mr Hughes said.

“Employers need to know they can trust their employees to do their duties without taking something from them.”

Kratochvil started crying when Mr Hughes told him he would be receiving a jail term for the theft, owing to his criminal history.

Mr Hughes did note there was nothing similar to the offences in that history and it was “likely to be an isolated incident”.

Kratochvil pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing while serving as a servant.

He was sentenced to nine months’ jail, with the sentence suspended for 18 months.

Originally published as Julian Kratochvil pleads guilty to stealing from Queenslander