Homeless man Harry Kourakis fined for taking pies from dumpster

A homeless man who was “in a pretty bad way” has been fined for taking pies and iced coffees from a dumpster behind a Launceston business.

A HUNGRY homeless man who took food out of a skip bin behind a Launceston business has been convicted and fined $250 for trespassing.

Harry Kourakis, of no fixed address, appeared in Launceston Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to the charge.

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Kourakis yesterday told Magistrate Simon Brown he had just been released from prison at the time of the offence on May 25 last year and was hungry and “in a pretty bad way”.

He said the business would throw out pies and iced coffees into a skip bin and he did not know he was doing something wrong by taking them.

A man called out from the public gallery saying “if you’re hungry, you’re hungry”, and was asked to be quiet.

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Magistrate Simon Brown said Kourakis’ moral culpability was low and his ability to pay a fine was modest.

He offered Kourakis the chance to do community work, which he estimated would be about 21 hours, instead of paying a fine.

Kourakis said the work might interfere with his hope of securing employment.

Magistrate convicted Kourakis and fined him $250.