Ronald Stephen Herman-Taylor jailed over ice fuelled Toowoomba crime spree

A dad in the grips of an ice addiction went on a rampage across Toowoomba, causing mayhem at a car rental local businesses and causing more than $20,800 in damages to a cafe.

Ronald Stephen Herman Taylor fronted Toowoomba Court via video link on October 31, 2023, and pleaded guilty to 19 crimes, the most serious being a break-in at Stellarossa South Toowoomba.

A Toowoomba court was told a man who was released from prison on parole went straight back to a life of crime, at the expense of a number of local businesses.

Ronald Stephen Herman-Taylor fronted Toowoomba Court via videolink on October 31, 2023, and pleaded guilty to 19 offenes, the most serious of which was a destructive break-in at a South Toowoomba cafe.

Police prosecutor Jessica Lynch said Herman-Taylor broke into the Stellarossa cafe on August 24 and rampaged through store while stealing items and flipping over equipment and furniture.

When staff went to open the cafe the following morning, Sergeant Lynch said there was so much mess and damage they were unable to trade, which tipped the damage bill to a total of $20,197.

Ronald Stephen Herman Taylor fronted Toowoomba Court via video link on October 31, 2023, and pleaded guilty to 19 crimes, the most serious being a break-in at Stellarossa South Toowoomba.

Sergeant Lynch said the next day Herman-Taylor stole a trolley and packages from an aged care home, and four days later he broke into, and attempted to break into, a number of cars at the Burke and Wills Hotel.

On August 27, the 25-year-old father of three was back to committing crimes - this time at Hertz Car Rental.

Sergeant Lynch said he and a woman smashed their way into one of the business’ cars through a window before setting off a fire extinguisher, which caused almost $800 in damage.

The court was told Herman-Taylor was high on ice at the time and had no excuse for why he committed the unusual and messy crime.

Sergeant Lynch said Herman-Taylor was released on parole a matter of weeks prior to the offending and it was clear that jail time was not a deterrent, as he continued to cause trauma to the community.

Solicitor Michael Corbin said the remorseful Logan-born man had completed a drug program while in custody and wanted to find a way to give back to the community.

However, magistrate Kyna Morice said the sentiment was a “hard pill to swallow” given he had shown a complete disregard for his previous parole order.

The Toowoomba courthouse.

The magistrate told the young man she hoped the past two months in pre-sentence custody changed his view of court orders, and warned if not, he would find himself in the “revolving doors of prison”.

In total Herman-Taylor pleaded guilty to four counts of break and enter, three counts of stealing, two counts of attempted break and enter, two counts of trespass, two counts of possessing stolen property, two counts of possessing drug utensils, and one count of possessing drugs, and entering a dwelling to commit a crime.

He was sentenced to a 20-month jail term, with a parole release date of March 31, 2024.

The 62 days he spent in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served.