Gary Chong Nee pleads guilty to unlawful use of motor vehicles, stealing but avoids jail thanks to gruelling work camp rotation

Despite a seven-page criminal history and his own lawyer conceding that he had run out chances, a 32-year-old facing a number of property offences was given immediate parole. Read why here avoided jail here.

Landing a job clearing trees at a dry camp in central Queensland has kept a man out of jail after he pleaded guilty to a string of burglaries and petty thefts.

Gary Chong Nee had used ice for about a third of his life and that addiction was blamed for a decade of sporadic offending Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on Monday.

The 32-year-old’s latest crime spree started in March when he, along with a co-offender, broke into a Toowoomba home.

Police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb said that the pair fled in a stolen car after they were interrupted by its occupants and stole two phones on their way out.

The court was told that the car was later captured on CCTV at the Northpoint Shopping Centre, where Chong Nee was identified as a passenger.

One of the phone’s cases contained a bank card that was used at several stores at the shopping centre, though police had no evidence that Chong Nee made the transactions.

Mr Brewster-Webb said Chong Nee had a seven-page criminal history that included entries for drug, theft, violence and breaching bail and that the most recent offending was a continuation of that history.

Gary Chong Nee pleaded guilty to 13 offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, burglary and stealing.

“He was in the house during that burglary, more could have been stolen if he had not been disturbed.

In court Chong Nee pleaded guilty to 13 offences including one count of burglary, two of stealing and two of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Mr Brewster-Webb said the extra offences related to stealing fuel, possessing stolen bank cards and being a passenger in a stolen vehicle.

Defence solicitor Brad Skuse acknowledged that his client, by virtue of his history, had exposed himself to jail.

“We have passed the point of jail as a last resort,” he said.

But Mr Skuse went on to say Chong Nee had his drug use under control and had recently taken a tree poisoning job that involved three weeks working in a dry camp in remote parts of Queensland, with one week off in Toowoomba.

Mr Skuse added that Chong Nee graduated from Downlands College and has strong links in the community.

He now lives with his parents and had their support, along with the support of a new partner.

Magistrate Kyna Morice accepted that Chong Nee’s work would keep him out of trouble but said she was worried about what he would get up to while on leave in Toowoomba where he could fall into the wrong company.

She warned Chong Nee to think about his new partner.

“Consider if you would appreciate it if men walked into her home while you were away for three weeks,” Ms Morice said.

Chong Nee was sentenced to 15 months jail with immediate parole.

“This is the last time you will get that benefit,” Ms Morice said.

“It is only because you have that excellent work and the great prosecutor your rehabilitation that you have the benefit.”