Thomas Berne: Launceston man steals, crashes mum’s car

A prescription pill abuser with a history of drug driving threw a wobbly when his mum discovered drug items in her home he was living in, a court has heard.

A Tasmanian prescription pill addict threw a wobbly when his mother discovered drug items in her home she allowed her son to share with her, leading him to steal and crash her vehicle, then push over an attending police officer.

Hadspen man Thomas Mitchell Berne, 27, pleaded guilty to four charges in Launceston Magistrates Court on Thursday and was sentenced.

The four offences, motor vehicle stealing, hindering conveyance, driving unlicensed and refusing to undergo an oral fluid analysis, were all committed on March 8 this year at his parents’ Sherwood Cl, Prospect Vale address, where Berne was living at the time.

The night prior to the offending, Berne’s mother, noting his “erratic behaviour”, discovered “drug paraphernalia” in his room, the court was told.

The following day, at about 12.10pm, Berne took his mother’s car keys and started the car in her driveway.

His mother waved her arms to get Berne’s attention and have him turn the vehicle off, but he ignored her and backed down the driveway.

His parents attempted to follow him in another vehicle, but lost the trail, the court heard.

Police attended the residence about 1pm after Berne returned the vehicle in a “damaged” condition.

Berne told officers a friend had driven the vehicle, but could not provide the friend’s details, and further claimed a third party had caused the damage to his mother’s vehicle before driving off without leaving their details, the court heard.

Police noticed his “evasive and erratic behaviour” and required him to undergo oral fluid analysis, but he was “uncooperative and resisted” their attempts, “knocking” a constable onto his bed.

His licence, which had been cancelled on May 18, 2021, was disqualified for 12 months on the spot for refusing the oral fluid analysis.

Defence lawyer Berivan Kurdistan told the court her client was kicked out of his parents’ home after the offending, but they remained supportive of him.

She said her client, who had previous convictions in 2016 and 2020 for drug driving, was addicted to prescription medication but had been receiving “formal assistance” for his substance abuse issues via Tasmania Health Service for about two months.

Her client, who receives a Jobseeker allowance, was “embarrassed, scared and regretful” of his behaviour on March 8, which he couldn’t remember.

Magistrate Sharon Cure fined Berne $700 and disqualified his licence for 12 months, backdated to the offence date.