Ian Duane Armstrong jailed for drugs, stealing cars in Central QLD

A young soon-to-be father was on parole for dangerous driving when he stole a vehicle from his mate after his friend gave him a lift, telling him: ‘good luck getting your car back’.

Ian Duane Armstrong jailed for drugs, stealing cars in Central QLD

A young soon-to-be father who went on a crime spree while on parole for dangerous driving in a stolen car was busted with 340g of drugs.

Ian Duane Armstrong, 20, racked up more than 25 charges when he appeared in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on September 20 with three charges on their way to the district court due to their serious natures.

He was then sentenced for the remaining 25 which included driving stolen cars, unlicensed driving, entering premises and stealing, along with breaching bail and drug type offences.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said Armstrong was found with a large amount of drugs – 340g of marijuana on February 28 at Gracemere – while he was on parole and probation.

Armstrong was also found in possession of methamphetamines on August 13 at Emerald, just before he was taken back into custody, along with clip seal bags.

In April, Armstrong was busted riding around the back of Gracemere, unlicensed, on an unregistered and uninsured motorcycle.

The majority of his crime spree took place in August when he broke into premises in South Gladstone, stole cars from Park Avenue and Allenstown and carried out fuel drive-offs in North Rockhampton and Bondoola.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert said Armstrong only had a three-and-a-half page criminal record until these offences, which included an attempted entering a dwelling with intent where Armstrong was “just lurking around under someone’s house at night in company” and breaking into cars to rummage through them to steal things and driving stolen cars – two in one night.

“You had been a passenger in a car which was being driven by somebody who was known to you, somebody who was kindly giving you a lift,” she said.

“He hopped out to go get something from the shops and you hopped into the driver’s seat and took off in his car and sent a text saying ‘Good luck getting the car back now’.

“And the police officers saw you went past and you waved at them.

“That’s a terrible thing to do to somebody who had been kind to you.”

Defence lawyer Sam Fernandez said her client was born in Caboolture and raised in Rockhampton by his mother as his father was incarcerated and he had no contact with his father.

She said Armstrong’s mother now lived elsewhere and some of his siblings are at Capricornia Correctional Centre.

Ms Fernandez said her client had started using meth in June as he “had no one in Rocky”, “had no family” and “started using through the association of negative peers and peer pressure”.

She said Armstrong admitted using marijuana as a teenager and had given it up when he started a role in the agricultural industry.

Ms Fernandez said her client was released from custody in October 2023 and he started using marijuana to manage his stress in January.

She said Armstrong had been in a relationship for two years but they had broken up because of his drug use.

She said he found out after going back into custody that his ex-partner was pregnant and they were now back together and “working towards a better future for their family”.

Ms Fernandez said Armstrong had been undertaken courses while in custody to increase his employability.

Armstrong pleaded guilty to three counts of enter premises and commit indictable offence, two stealing, two of possessing drugs three driving unlicensed, three breaches of bail, two of possess drug utensils, and one count each of during uninsured vehicle, drive unregistered vehicle, possessing stolen registration plates, unlawful use of motor vehicle in company, unlawful use of motor vehicle at night and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He was sentenced to 15 months prison with parole release on October 14.

Armstrong was also disqualified from driving for three months.

Bail was enlarged and briefs of evidence were ordered for two counts of supplying drugs and one of receiving tainted property obtained from trafficking.

No pleas were entered for the outstanding charges and they were adjourned to November 13.

Originally published as Ian Duane Armstrong jailed for drugs, stealing cars in Central QLD