Michael Lee Binge, 37, pleads guilty to 23 charges in Warwick Magistrates Court

A southern Queensland man has pleaded guilty to almost two dozen charges ranging from fraud to enter premise offences. Here’s what happened in court.

A southern Queensland man has appeared in court from custody to plead guilty to almost two dozen charges, ranging from fraud to enter premises.

The court was told Michael Lee Binge, 37, had a history of run-ins in the law in the past five years, resulting in a variety of jail and suspended sentences.

Binge pleaded guilty to a charge of using a forged cheque, occurring at Goondiwindi in May, and was bulk arraigned on 22 other charges.

Police prosecutor Chris Willson said the crimes were committed in a three month window, from May to July of this year.

Disturbingly, on one occasion, Binge possessed a knife in a library, and on another broke into Southern Downs Regional Council premises.

Defence lawyer Sarah Campbell said the father had nine pages of criminal history, including like offending, but credited the man for his early plea of guilty and the lack of violence in his offending.

Magistrate Janice Crawford noted for several of the offences, Binge was in company with an aggrieved ex-partner, whom had a DVO against the man.

The magistrate also said the offences were committed while the man was on parole for previous offending.

“You have spent a considerable amount of time in custody, and the offending is largely property offending and offences of dishonest, as well as drug offences,” Ms Crawford said.

Ms Crawford detailed how on occasions in the offending period, food, cash and cigarettes were obtained due to forged cheques, and premises were broken into and items stolen.

On one occasion in late July, Binge stole a suitcase from a car parked at a motel in southern Queensland.

Binge was sentenced to a head sentence of 18 months, with 64 days of presentence custody considered time served.

The man’s parole eligibility was listed as September 25.

Convictions were recorded and all property forfeited.

Originally published as Michael Lee Binge, 37, pleads guilty to 23 charges in Warwick Magistrates Court