Benjamin Louis Evans, 41, sentenced for trying to steal $10,000 wire, possessing 2kg cannabis

A man who tried to steal $10,000 of copper wire from one of the state’s largest employers had 2kg of drugs and a gun in his hotel room – along with a teenage girl, a court heard.

A man who tried to steal $10,000 of copper wire from one of the state’s largest employers was later found to have 2kg of drugs, a gun, and teenage girl waiting for him in his motel room, a court has heard.

Benjamin Louis Evans, 41, was first seen driving “erratically” through Port Pirie’s Nyrstar compound by staff around 3.30am on August 25, 2023.

SAPOL officers found stolen camping equipment, $10,000 worth of copper wiring, prescription drugs and 56g of cannabis in the back of his ute and later attended the motel he was staying in.

Inside they found 2.2kg of cannabis worth up to $14,700, a bolt-action rifle, ammunition and Evan’s 16-year-old “companion” staying with him during a cross-country trip.

Evans pleaded guilty to unlawful possession, possessing prescription drugs without a prescription, being unlawfully on premises, attempted theft, trafficking in a commercial quantity of cannabis, possessing a firearm without a licence and possessing ammunition without a licence or permit.

Evans was not charged with any wrongdoing in relation to the 16-year-old.

The court heard Evans had previously been convicted of a range of offending in Victoria and Queensland, and five current warrants for his arrest were pending in Queensland, NSW and Tasmania.

During sentencing, Auxiliary District Court Judge Gordon Barrett said Evans had a “very troubled” upbringing and stripped copper wire from stolen goods at a young age.

“You had a very disrupted schooling … you went to 13 different primary schools and three high schools,” Mr Barrett said.

The court heard Evans has been born in Melbourne, and moved between Victoria and Queensland after his parents separated.

The court heard the offending took place during a trip from Tasmania to the Northern Territory with the teenage girl as a way to obtain “seasonal work”.

Mr Barrett said Evans had written a letter to the court detailing his reflection into his behaviour.

“You are looking forward to the future and what you need to do to become a productive member of society,” he said

“You believe that that is well within your limits to succeed.”

Mr Barrett sentenced Evans to five years, seven months and 25 days, with a three-year and eight-month non parole period.

The sentence was backdated to August 25, 2023 when he was initially arrested.

Originally published as Benjamin Louis Evans, 41, sentenced for trying to steal $10,000 wire, possessing 2kg cannabis