After a year of avoiding court, 22-year-old fronts up and is jailed

The 22-year-old and two mates had come across a car with engine running in a city driveway and got in and drove away.

After avoiding court for more than a year, the 22-year-old eventually appeared in court by video link from the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

A 22-YEAR-OLD man who dodged court for more than a year because he wanted to spend time with his family has been sentenced to a jail term.

Terrence Robert Duncan was due to front Toowoomba Magistrates Court on May 29, 2019, but had failed to show up.

Police found him on October 30 last year when he was arrested for having a knife in a public place and a syringe which he had not properly disposed of, the same court heard.

Duncan had spent 78 days in custody and appeared by video link from the prison to plead guilty to 12 offences including stealing, possessing knives in public, possessing drugs and utensils and breaching bail.

What was considered his most serious offence was the unlawful use of a motor vehicle on April 16, 2019.

The court heard on that occasion Duncan and two mates had come across a car with its engine running in the driveway of a residence.

The trio got into the car and drove off while the car’s owner was a short distance away.

He had been on probation for similar offending at the time, the court heard.

His solicitor Joe Millican said his client had a disadvantaged upbringing and had been exposed to drugs and violence from an early age.

His client and his partner had a seven-year-old son and lived at Goondiwindi, he said.

Acting Magistrate Lisa O’Neill sentenced Duncan to eight months in jail but, declaring 78 days as time served, ordered he be released immediately on parole.