Mackay man Vincent Paul Catania pleads guilty to 15 offences

A meth user has avoided a $15,000 restitution bill but instead will spend 12 months behind bars over a single item found in a car he had been driving dangerously during a crime spree.

A Mackay meth user who will not have to pay $15,000 restitution over a break and enter will instead spend 12 months behind bars over a single item found in his possession during a crime spree.

After dangerously driving and slamming a vehicle into a gutter on the city’s fringe while high on ice, Vincent Paul Catania fled the crash site carrying two bags.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard one of these bags contained a shortened shotgun.

When he was captured – after trying to escape through two yards on Prospect St and ditching the bags along the way – he later told police he did not know who’s weapon it was.

Vincent Paul Catania pleaded guilty to 15 offences including possessing a shortened weapon.

The court heard police had spotted the vehicle about 7.10am on August 22, 2021 on Sydney St and checks revealed it was fitted with stolen plates.

Catania later admitted he saw the police car trying to intercept him and “launched it”, turning onto Alfred St, then Carlyle St, before the crash occurred on Shakespeare St.

Witnesses told police the vehicle was driving dangerously before it crashed into a gutter and Catania ran from the scene.

The court heard the second bag contained drugs including a small amount of meth, marijuana, $90 cash, an oxycodone and diazepam tablet, glass pipes and digital scales.

The 36-year-old father told police he had used two points of meth that morning.

He denied knowledge of the shotgun, claiming others had driven the vehicle that week.

Catania was arrested and has remained in custody since spending about 10 months behind bars.

Anyone convicted of carrying a shortened firearm will spend 12 months in jail – it is a mandatory penalty under Queensland law.

He pleaded guilty to 15 offences including dangerous driving, possessing a shortened firearm, as well as charges stemming from a break and enter at Emerald in mid May 2021.

The 36 year old will spend 12 months in jail.

The court heard he had stolen a trailer parked at a building site – property from the trailer was found on a dirt road about 500m north. The restitution sought was just less than $15,000.

Defence solicitor Sean Gibbs, of Fisher Dore Lawyers, said his client was born and raised in Mackay, had been married for a time which ended six years ago and he had one daughter.

Mr Gibbs said when Catania was previously released from jail in November 2020, he had been living with his parents.

He worked as a quarry operator for about six months before he lost his job and went on Centrelink.

Mr Gibbs argued his client had no assets and no capacity to pay the $15,000 restitution.

The court heard Catania had no immediate plans for a job following his release and Catania’s history suggested an issue with drugs.

Catania was jailed for 18 months with parole release on August 21 this year after serving 12 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for 16 months. Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Mackay man Vincent Paul Catania pleads guilty to 15 offences