March 12, 2013
A third man charged with stealing from a Kingaroy freight company has been fined $2000 and ordered to pay $2757 compensation to his former employer when he appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates Court.
Crowther Davidson Bedow, 17, pleaded guilty last Thursday to stealing two iPhones, an LCD television and a laptop computer.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Nick Nitschke said Crowther had admitted stealing the items while working for the freight company and dropping them over a back fence; he then returned at night and picked them up.
Mr Mark Werner, for Crowther, said his client had not been able to find work since he was sacked, however he was hopeful of gaining an apprenticeship at Chinchilla and asked that no conviction be recorded.
Magistrate Bucknall told Crowther he was now the third offender that had come before him in recent times charged with stealing from the same employer.
“There is a special degree of trust (between employees and employers) that has clearly been abused by you and your co-defendants,” Mr Bucknall said.
But he said Crowther was young and had expressed remorse. No conviction was recorded.
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A solicitor representing a Kingaroy woman charged with 87 fraud offences has told Kingaroy Magistrates Court he may seek to cross-examine witnesses at a committal hearing.
Mr Andrew Kelly, appearing for Susan Jane Wolski, applied for a date for the hearing to take place but could not confirm how many witnesses would be required.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall said the very first date available would be August 29 and after that there were only 14 hearing days left for the rest of the year.
The charges were adjourned again to March 28.
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A man found with just 1.3g of cannabis in his possession has been sentenced to six months jail because his “considerable” criminal history gave the court no other option.
Matthew Elworthy Young, 27, pleaded guilty in Kingaroy Magistrates Court to one count of possessing dangerous drugs.
“It’s a small amount of cannabis but for you, sir, it doesn’t matter that it’s a small amount with your history of disrespect of the drug laws,” Magistrate Mark Bucknall said.
He said Young had in the past breached good behaviour bonds, suspended sentences and parole.
Mr Bucknall sentenced Young to six months jail to be served as an Intensive Correction Order in the community. During this time he would be subjected to drug-testing.
“If you test positive, you will have breached the order and you will come back here to be re-sentenced. And you’ll be going down there to the cells,” Mr Bucknall said.
“I’m essentially handing to you your own key to a cell door, if you want to use it.”
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A former Brisbane woman who pleaded guilty in Kingaroy Magistrates Court to four theft charges and 10 fraud charges has been fined $700.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Nick Nitschke said Dawne Maree Campbell had rented a series of goods from a Capalaba store and then put them into hock.
Solicitor Elizabeth Daniels, for Campbell, said it had been a “pretty tumultuous time” for Campbell who had been trying to get together enough money to get out of Alexandra Hills.
“She had the intention of repaying the money. She just needed the cash,” Ms Daniels said.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall said he had sentenced her husband and son on similar offences recently.
He also noted that Campbell had committed these offences soon after appearing in Holland Park Magistrates Court charged with possessing goods suspected of being stolen.
He ordered one fine for all offences, and recorded convictions.
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A woman who made a sudden, unprovoked attack on a cleaner at Kingaroy Shoppingworld has been placed on nine months probation and ordered to pay $500 compensation to the woman she struck.
Jacqueline McNamara pleaded guilty in Kingaroy Magistrates Court to common assault and three counts of assaulting police.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Nick Nitschke said the cleaner had been pushing her trolley back to her work station about 3:15pm on November 26 when she felt someone take hold of her collar.
McNamara had then pulled her back and struck her on the face.
Police who attended were also struck by McNamara who was yelling and screaming “alarming members of the public”.
When police managed to get McNamara back to the police station, she took off all her clothes in the cell and laid on the floor.
Solicitor Elizabeth Daniels, for McNamara, said her client was self-detoxing at the time, coming off cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol and could not clearly remember the events.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall said innocent people should not be subject to the actions of someone who was feeling a bit edgy because they are withdrawing.
“And police don’t have to tolerate that sort of behaviour either,” he said.
Convictions were recorded.
