Aaron Dean Mitchell faces Proserpine Magistrates Court

NAMED: He has been labelled as having “one of the worst traffic histories” by a magistrate after facing court for 12 offences including stealing guns, ammunition ID’s, petrol over a three-week period.

Man with shocking traffic history jailed after 3 week crime spree.

A man with “one of the worst traffic histories” has been jailed after three weeks of driving disqualified, evading police, and stealing guns and ammunition.

Aaron Dean Mitchell pleaded guilty in the Proserpine Magistrates court to 12 offences committed over a three-week period including stealing ID’s and firearms.

The court heard there were three events that led to the charges, with the most serious occurring on February 26 when at noon when Mitchell along with a co-defendant entered an empty residence in Myrtlevale.

The court heard they stole an RACQ membership card, Queensland Rail ID card, senior cards, credit cards, and other personal cards belonging to the complainant’s deceased father.

The pair also used tools in the house to cut the lock to an empty gun cabinet and drilled the locks out of a full gun cabinet from which they removed three firearms and stole 1500 rounds of bullets.

Police attended Mr Mitchell’s address and located the stolen cards, they also located a registration plate hidden in a vehicle, that plate been reported to police as stolen, an uncapped needle, a glass pipe, a clip seal bag containing cannabis.

Police have not been able to locate the stolen guns and ammunition.

The man appeared via video link in the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

The other offences occurred on February 10 and 23. Mr Mitchell is said to have sped away to avoid police because at the time he was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence.

The court heard he later told police he did not stop because he knew he would get in trouble either way.

On 23 February Mr Mitchell drove to a petrol station while disqualified from holding a licence, he proceeded to fill his car with fuel, before driving away without paying.

Police attempted to pull over Mr Mitchell later that day but he drove away, exceeding the speed limit and crossing onto the wrong side of the road to evade police.

Magistrate Anna Smith said she had to take into account the serious nature of the offences and the 35-year-old’s history.

“Your traffic history is one of the worst traffic histories I’ve seen, that’s both as a lawyer and as a magistrate over almost 25 years in two states, so that’s saying something,” she said.

The court heard he had 18 drive disqualified matters since 2011, along with 5 fail to stop charges and multiple dangerous operation offences.

Magistrate Smith said while the offences were not “well planned” or “sophisticated” this particular burglary was more serious given the stealing of the guns and ammunition which have still not been found.

She took into account the nine days he spent in pre-sentence custody in her sentencing and the fact that prior to committing these offences he had attempted to rehabilitate.

“You had done well and stayed out of strife for at least a year,” she said.

Mr Mitchell was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment and would be eligible for parole on December 25, 2025.

He was disqualified from holding a licence for two years for each of the driving while disqualified offences and evading police charges.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Aaron Dean Mitchell faces Proserpine Magistrates Court