Anthony Stout pleads guilty to unlawful use of cars, possessing large amount of GHB

A Sunshine Coast tree lopper has found himself behind bars after his crime spree of driving stolen cars and stealing led to him being busted with a sizeable amount of a designer drug.

Anthony William Stout.

A Nambour tree lopper will be eligible for parole next year after his drug-fuelled crime spree led him to driving stolen cars and possessing a large amount of a designer drug.

Anthony William Stout committed 15 crimes over a period of eight months before he ended up on remand where he spent 73 days in prison before his sentence in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 41-year-old learnt his fate after he pleaded guilty to 15 offences including six counts of stealing, three of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one of possessing dangerous drugs over the schedule.

Among Stout’s crimes, the court heard he unlawfully used a car and a trailer between January 1 and 30, did fuel drive offs, failed to appear in court, drove without a licence, committed fraud and was later found in possession of a large amount of GHB, or liquid fantasy. He was taken into police custody on September 14.

Police prosecutor Val Crossley said it was a “high volume” of offending for a man who had a history of drug offences and dishonesty.

She said he was also on parole at the time.

Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Defence lawyer Michael Robinson said the parole period expired on October 12 as he tendered three character references to the court.

Mr Robinson said the 41-year-old stayed out of trouble between 2019 and 2023 as he was working, however spiralled into drugs due to a high SPER debt and loss of his licence.

The solicitor said the Sydney-born tree lopper and father fell into the wrong crowd, was using drugs and lived in an abandoned home.

He told the court Stout had work lined up in the rubbish removal once he was released from jail.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said Stout was “old enough” to know better, with his criminal history being something that “wreaks of illicit substances”.

“For a long time you’ve been before the courts for these sorts of offences, offences of drugs which normally impact upon property such as stealing fuel and so forth,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

Stout was jailed for 18 months with a parole eligibility date set at January 14 next year. He was also disqualified from driving for three months.

Originally published as Anthony Stout pleads guilty to unlawful use of cars, possessing large amount of GHB