Charlie Mark Adams, Matthew Albury Claude Waites, Trent Bruce Richter, Matthew David Daly, Tina Kathleen Hazard, front Toowoomba courts

From a woman turning up to court wearing a lawyer’s stolen watch to drug dealers and drink drivers – see the details of the court stories you may have missed.

It has been a big few weeks in Toowoomba on the court and crime scene – catch up with the complete wrap of all your court and crime news.

Woman busted wearing lawyer’s stolen watch to court

After being the victim of a break and enter of his South Toowoomba home, a high profile Toowoomba lawyer was soon back in possession of some of the property stolen after a woman attended court, seeking his legal advice, wearing his $1700 watch.

Tina Kathleen Hazard, 35, has faced Toowoomba Magistrates Court where she was jailed for 12 months, with immediate parole, after pleading guilty to a number of property and drug offences.

Tina Kathleen Hazard, 35, pleaded guilty to 14 drug and property offences in Toowoomba Magistrates Court last week, including entering a dwelling and committing an indictable offence, receiving tainted property, possessing dangerous drugs and stealing.

Magistrate Kay Philipson sentenced Hazard to 12 months behind bars, but noting she had spent 40 days in custody already made her immediately eligible for parole.

FULL STORY HERE.

Fraudulent Covid-19 payments puts Gatton man behind bars

Matthew David Daly, 37, appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on June 10, 2022, where he was jailed for multiple charges of fraud and uttering forged documents.

For two years during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, a Gatton man defrauded the NSW Government, as well as unsuspecting victims, of thousands of dollars by forging documents and bank accounts to falsely claim Covid-19 support payments.

Matthew David Daly appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to a total of 76 offences, including 57 offences related to fraudulently claiming the government support payments.

The court was told from January 2020 to January 2022 the 37-year-old used the names of friends, as well stolen identification details, to open bank accounts before fraudulently applying for the NSW Government’s Covid-19 relief and recovery fund.

Once the bank accounts received the funds Daly then transferred the money to himself and his friends, police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Willson said.

Daly was jailed for 18 months, with parole eligibility set at July 7. He was also ordered to pay $5103 restitution to two individuals who were defrauded during his offending.

FULL STORY HERE.

Teen held blade to luxury car owner’s throat in terrifying robbery

A teenager who held a knife to the throat of a Brisbane man during a violent home invasion, before committing a crime spree of break and enters across Toowoomba, has been jailed.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced Children’s Court of Queensland in Toowoomba on Monday where he pleaded guilty to a raft of 14 offences, including burglary while armed in company, armed robbery, burglary by break at night and multiple counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The court was told the teenager was with two others when on October 9, 2021, the group disguised themselves and forced their way into a home in the Brisbane suburb of Hamilton.

While armed with a knife the teenager demanded the homeowner’s wallet and cash, as well as the keys to the luxury Bentley.

A co-offender went to grab a knife in the home’s kitchen, but was challenged by the home’s occupant, only to have the teenager place the blade of a 26cm knife to his throat, Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie said.

Judge Michael Byrne QC sentenced the teen to 21 months detention, with a release date set at 70 per cent of time served. No conviction was recorded.

FULL STORY HERE.

Police weed out cannabis dealer after 1.79kg found in raid

While a search warrant was targeting his housemate, police stumbled upon almost 2kg of cannabis hidden in a Toowoomba man’s wardrobe, a court has been told.

Trent Bruce Richter faced Toowoomba District Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to 20 counts of supplying a dangerous drug, possessing a dangerous drug in excess of 500g, possessing a dangerous drug and possessing property suspected of being used in commission of a drug offence.

Trent Bruce Richter, 22, faced Toowoomba District Court on June 13, 2022 where he pleaded guilty to possessing a dangerous drug and 20 charges of supplying a dangerous drug.

The court was told that on May 7, 2021, police executed a search warrant at a Toowoomba address, with the 22-year-old’s housemate the target of the search.

However, Crown prosecutor Emily Coley said a search of a bedroom that Richter occupied found some 1.79kg of cannabis, packaged in four vacuum sealed bags each weighing about a pound.

Police also found a small quantity of methylamphetamine, and other drug items.

Richter was sentenced to two years probation, with convictions recorded.

FULL STORY HERE.

Man suffocated wife during ‘drunken petulant rampage’

A judge has condemned the actions of a Glenvale man who assaulted his wife, in front of their children, that saw one of them flee to a neighbour to get help.

The 31-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, faced Toowoomba District Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to four charges of common assault, suffocation in a domestic relationship, wilful damage and three charges of breaching a domestic violence order.

The horrifying incident began on the evening of September 5, 2021, after the man had been drinking heavily, the court was told.

Tensions were high between the couple, who were married in 2013, after the man didn’t help his wife put the children to bed, Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie said.

After taking exception to his wife not making room for him in bed, the defendant picked her up and threw her to the ground.

The victim left the room with the man pushing her to the ground multiple times.

Ms Petrie said the assault continued when the man put his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming, suffocating her as a result.

The man was jailed for 21 months, wholly suspended for two years. Convictions were recorded.

FULL STORY HERE.

Full-time beers after footy win ends in hefty fine and disqualification

A few drinks to celebrate a hard-fought win on the footy field have ended in a hefty disqualification and fine for a Toowoomba man.

Matthew Albury Claude Waites fronted Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to driving while over the middle alcohol limit, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and driving without a licence.

Matthew Albury Claude Waites, 27, appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on June 15, 2022, where he pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving in an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, and a separate offence of driving without a licence.

The court was told that Waites was stopped by police on Wine Drive, Wilsonton, about 1.10am on April 10, 2022, and he returned a positive roadside breath test.

After he was taken back to Toowoomba Police Station the 27-year-old returned a reading of 0.109, police prosecutor Sergeant Tim Hutton said.

Further checks by police revealed the registration of Waites’ vehicle had expired about five weeks prior, and that as a result he was also uninsured.

Magistrate Kay Philipson disqualified Waites from holding a driver’s licence for two years and six months, and fined him $750, which was referred to SPER. Convictions were recorded.

FULL STORY HERE.

Man’s savage assault on retirement village nursing assistant

A man has been jailed for a series of offences which culminated in an attempted knifepoint robbery and savage beating of a staff member of a retirement village.

The incident began on the evening of June 23, 2021, when Charlie Mark Adams was confronted by the occupants of a Rockville home, accusing the then 25-year-old of looking through their window.

Charlie Adams reacts to the crowd after a try for Highfields against Pittsworth in Hutchinson Builders TRL Premiership round 10 rugby league at Kuhls Rd Recreation Ground, Saturday, June 3, 2017.

After a confrontation with the occupants he went to nearby Northridge Haven Retirement Village and while there viciously attacked a staff member during an attempted knifepoint robbery.

Adams faced Toowoomba District Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to threatening violence, enter dwelling with intent by break, enter premises with intent and attempted robbery with actual violence while armed.

Adams was sentenced to five years behind bars, with a parole eligibility date set at May 2, 2023 after serving 287 days of pre-sentence custody.

FULL STORY HERE.

Abuser learns fate for pointing loaded gun at wife and kids

A man who raped his wife, and pointed a loaded rifle at her and their children, has been jailed for nine years.

Toowoomba District Court was this week told the now 34-year-old’s violence against the victim began in early 2018, and continued in 2019, with multiple incidents where the man while drunk slapped, punched, choked and spat on the woman, despite a domestic violence order being issued in October 2017.

The violence escalated when in 2020 the man drunkenly raped his wife while beating her, then in September he went on a rampage with a loaded gun, threatening to shoot his wife and children, telling his two-year-old “this is mummy’s fault, you’re going to sleep now”, aiming the gun at the child.

The man was jailed for nine years, and with time served will be eligible for parole on September 12, 2026.

FULL STORY HERE.