Jacob John Bateup sentenced over meth-fuelled Brisbane Airport shoplifting

A North Queensland rigger said meth was to blame for a clumsy crime under the gaze of Brisbane Airport security cameras and Australian Federal Police. See what the court thought of that excuse.

Jacob John Bateup pleaded guilty to stealing a $215 pair of ear buds at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Facebook

A Moranbah mine worker has told a court he did not consider the consequences of shoplifting in one of the world’s highest security environments because he was high on drugs at the time.

Jacob John Bateup came to the attention of Australian Federal Police at Brisbane Airport’s domestic terminal on June 4, after CCTV cameras and several witnesses watched him steal a $215 pair of Bose sports earbuds from a ‘Tech2Go’ store, then return them a short time later removed from their packaging and with earwax left on them.

Proserpine Magistrates Court this week heard the 31 year old told police in a recorded interview at his Qantas departure gate he had pocketed the earbuds without paying because he “didn’t have enough funds on his debit card” to cover the cost.

The court heard Jacob John Bateup had a criminal history in New South Wales. Picture: Facebook

Pleading guilty to one count of stealing, Bateup told the court he was under the influence of methamphetamine and “not thinking straight” at the time of the theft, and had returned the stolen goods that same day because he knew he had been caught.

The former New South Wales resident said he had recently moved north to “get away from the people on the central coast [he] was hanging around that made [him] have a bad criminal record”, and pointed to the difference between his June mugshot and his appearance in court as evidence he had not touched drugs for several months.

“I’m up here doing better for myself, as you can see,” he said, placing his hand on his stomach in highlighting the weight he had gained since his arrest.

Bateup told the court he had recently moved to Queensland to get away from bad influences. Picture: Facebook

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors told the court Tech2Go could not sell the earbuds in the used condition in which Bateup had returned them.

Magistrate James Morton told Bateup “you need to clean your ears out son”, fined him $300, and ordered him to pay $214.94 compensation to Tech2Go within 14 days.

“Next time you get on the drugs and you go to the airport sir, be mindful of your next move because they [police] are watching – it’s a very touchy place to go to,” Mr Morton said.

Bateup replied: “On methamphetamine you don’t really think about that sort of stuff.”

Originally published as Jacob John Bateup sentenced over meth-fuelled Brisbane Airport shoplifting