Wesley James Hibbard was caught in the act of a Christmas Day burglary

The father of four was caught red handed attempting to steal a caravan and things only got worse when he went into custody.

HARD TIME: Wesley James Hibbard pleaded guilty to seven offences all committed on Christmas Day 2021.

Since being taken into custody after a botched Christmas Day burglary, Wesley James Hibbard has had to spend 14 days in isolation and then he contracted Covid-19 in jail.

The 32-year-old and an accomplice were arrested by police at the scene of a Grantham residence on Christmas Day when they had tried to hitch a caravan from the yard to the Nissan Patrol they were driving.

Hibbard told police he had entered the home by forcing the front door and had taken a motorcycle frame and surveillance equipment because he knew he’d be on it, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

The bike frame and surveillance equipment were found in the vehicle along with a small amount of meth and an ice pipe for smoking it and a set of binoculars suspected as being tainted property, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court.

Hibbard told police he had intended taking the caravan to live in as he had been homeless at the time, she said.

Hibbard appeared via video link from Brisbane Men’s Prison to plead guilty to a total seven offences all committed during the Christmas Day incident.

His solicitor Ryan McCullough, of MacDonald Law, told the court his client’s time in custody had been difficult as he had been held in isolation for the first 14 days and then he contracted Covid-19 while in the jail.

His client was a father of four and he had some contact with the youngest, he said.

A lot of his client’s problems stemmed from the fact he had a SPER (State Penalties Enforcement Registry) debt of about $80,000, Mr McCullough said.

A period under the strict supervision of parole could help Hibbard address his drug issues and get his life on track, Mr McCullough submitted.

Magistrate Graham Lee noted Hibbard had a “strong history” of dishonesty and drug offences.

“If you don’t address your drug issues you’re going to spend a lot of time in jail,” Mr Lee warned him.

Mr Lee sentenced Hibbard to nine months in jail but, declaring the 26 days he had already served as time under the sentence, ordered he be released on parole immediately.