June 21, 2013
An interstate visitor who stole a car in Brisbane, drove it to Kingaroy, had an accident and then stole another was placed on 12 months’ probation when he appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates Court today.
Connor Forsey O’Sullivan, 20, from NSW, pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He also pleaded guilty to a drugs charge after a bong was located in the second vehicle.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Wayne Bushell said the first vehicle was stolen on June 16 at Kedron.
The second vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, was stolen after the driver parked outside the Moonya Street Store in Kingaroy on Thursday.
A Kingaroy resident later spotted the vehicle and followed it to Shoppingworld.
He approached O’Sullivan and asked for the keys back.
O’Sullivan obliged and then walked off in the direction of Centrelink, where police arrested him.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall did not record a conviction.
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A second man charged over the same incident in Kingaroy also pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Solicitor Chris Campbell, who appeared for Joseph Matthew Stephenson, 27, said his client had come to Kingaroy quite legally, ie “on the bus”, to catch up with a girl he had met at the Kingaroy Show.
He had also met up with O’Sullivan whom he had met previously in a youth hostel in Brisbane.
He had watched as O’Sullivan stole the Hilux and had felt heavily coerced to get into the vehicle.
“He does not wish to have any further contact with Mr O’Sullivan,” Mr Campbell said.
Magistrate Bucknall told Stephenson he “should know better” than to get into a stolen vehicle.
He placed Stephenson on six months probation. A conviction was recorded.
