Lachlan James Pitt: Launceston youth sentenced for assault, thefts

Amid a spree of thefts, where bottle shops, grocery stores and garages were hit, a youth who calls himself a ‘professional ciggie butt hunter’ also tried to bash two cops and punched a stranger.

An itinerant, mentally unwell Tasmanian youth who describes himself online as a “professional ciggie butt hunter” has been sentenced for dozens of offences, most seriously punching a complete stranger in the face with no provocation.

Launceston man Lachlan James Pitt, 22, of no fixed address after getting kicked out of City Mission’s Orana House at Newnham, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to 27 offences.

They included, most seriously, burglary, common assault, two counts of assaulting a police officer, and multiple counts of stealing.

Pitt’s offending occurred between June 21 last year and December 3, shortly before his arrest and remand in pre-sentence custody on December 6.

On October 19 about 8.30am, Pitt approached a stranger standing outside Myer in the Brisbane St Mall, said ‘hello’, then punched the man to the left side of the face.

When interviewed a week later, Pitt told police his victim was a “drug dealer” who provoked him, but subsequently admitted he did not know his victim and punched him in the “hope (he) would fight back”.

On October 15 about 1am, Pitt attempted to punch a police officer on Paterson St who had followed him after the defendant tried to flee, then attempted to punch a second officer at the Launceston Police Station after his handcuffs were removed.

On November 16 about 8pm, Pitt lifted a roller door to gain access to the Sports Garden Hotel’s garage area, where he stole a mountain bike.

And on August 8, in the midafternoon, Pitt stole $150 from a mentally impaired man at Holbrook St, Invermay.

Pitt also stole grog from 9/11 Bottleshops on Frederick St and at Launceston Plaza, and BWS on Wellington St, groceries from Coles Meadow Mews, cough medicine from Fitzpatrick’s Guardian Pharmacy on Charles St, and a muffin from McDonald’s Invermay.

It was submitted on Pitt’s behalf by defence solicitor Berivan Kurdistan the six-month period of his offending had been marred by Pitt’s increasing mental instability, as he “fell through the cracks” of the system and was unmedicated.

Pitt was psychotic when he was finally remanded on December 6, Ms Kurdistan told the court.

Magistrate Sharon Cure agreed Pitt was a “very unwell man” in the second half of 2021 but was improving with treatment.

She noted Pitt did not have a serious criminal history prior to the current offences.

Ms Cure sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment – meaning he served more than double the sentence he was required, due to delays in obtaining a fitness report.

The court heard Pitt would be released into the care of the Department of Health’s Millbrook Rise Centre in New Norfolk.