AN ice user who admitted stealing a range of goods from a former agricultural college to help pay off a $10,000 drug debt has been fined $2500.
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Michael Mitchell, 28, of Campbell Street, Camperdown, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to burglary and theft.
Defence counsel Upma Paton said her client started taking ice with his partner after the death of a child which led to the the breakdown of his relationship, the loss of his job, and a $10,000 drug debt, which triggered the offending.
More than 12 months after a burglary at the Glenormiston college, her client was arrested and made admissions to the offending.
In sentencing, magistrate Pete Mellas said the college burglary was committed in June last year prior to Mitchell going into custody to serve a six-a month jail term for trafficking ice and assaults.
He said that since being released from prison Mitchell had made significant changes to his life, was now drug-free, in a new relationship, seeking work and had good prospects.
The magistrate said a fine was now appropriate and he convicted and fined Mitchell $2500 with $119.90 costs.
Police said that between June 5 and 7 last year Mitchell and a co-accused went to the college where they entered an administration building.
A water dispenser and a range of electrical items including monitor, scanner, printer and recorder, were stolen.
A cottage was also entered and a bed and other household items were removed, loaded onto a ute and stolen.
College keys being found at a home led to police focusing on Mitchell and the co-accused for the college burglary.
Mitchell told police that at the time he owed a $10,000 ice debt and his family members had been threatened.
In a separate case, Hamilton’s Daryl Munro, 20, of Quigley Street, has had more bail offences proven and dismissed after repeatedly failing to report to the Hamilton police station.
Munro is on bail after appealing against the severity of a five-month jail sentence.