Colin Thomas Bonner: Warwick man tries to break into bottle-o with sledgehammer

A botched attempt to smash his way into a bottle shop with a sledgehammer has earned a Warwick dad a date in court.

BOTTLE-O BREAK-IN: Colin Thomas Bonner has paid a hefty price for his botched attempt to smash his way into a Warwick bottle shop. Picture: iStock​

A Warwick man who tried to smash his way into a bottle shop with a sledgehammer has paid the price in court for his brazen crime.

Colin Thomas Bonner targeted Liquor Legends Warwick late in the evening of August 13, trying to force entry through the front windows.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 55-year-old repeatedly swung his sledgehammer into the glass, but was ultimately unsuccessful in smashing through into the business.

Bonner soon gave up and fled the scene in a white car, but not before causing $2160 in damage and dropping a green beanie just outside the store.

Police prosecutor Bettina Trenear said the father-of-four was identified by police reviewing CCTV footage the next day.

She said Bonner was quick to own up to the offending, but was intoxicated by the time officers found him and unable to participate in a full interview.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman told the court Bonner had battled alcoholism on and off throughout his life, and had managed to stay clean for about five years before recently falling off the wagon.

“Following some intense stress and pressures here, he unfortunately resorted back to alcohol and has ended up in this sorry situation,” Mr Chapman said.

He added his client was once again abstaining from alcohol entirely, and was eager to refocus on raising his youngest son, aged 12.

Bonner pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to enter a premises and commit an indictable offence.

He was fined $750 and ordered to pay the full amount of restitution.

Originally published as Colin Thomas Bonner: Warwick man tries to break into bottle-o with sledgehammer