Leigh Prior, 34, pleaded guilty yesterday to having received stolen property and having perverted the course of justice.

The offences relate to a caravan that was stolen from Rosevears in February 2011 and then found dumped under the Batman Bridge, burnt out.

Justice Shan Tennent jailed Prior for six months, wholly suspended for three years.

Crown prosecutor Luke Brett told the court that police interviewed Prior in November 2012, and he told them of his involvement with the stolen caravan.

Prior told police he had been in the company of another man, when that man stole the caravan and stored it at a remote bush property.

Mr Brett said the accused told police he was worried about getting caught, because the other man was "running his mouth off" about the stolen caravan.

Prior then arranged to buy the caravan for $500 and dumped it underneath the Batman Bridge.

Mr Brett said the accused told police a woman and a second man were present when the caravan was dumped and torched.

However, Prior said he was not responsible for the fire.

Mr Brett said no one else had been charged in relation to the stolen caravan and fire.

He told the court Prior had nine pages of prior convictions, including 20 priors for stealing, seven for burglary and one for attempted burglary.

Defence counsel Evan Hughes said his client had been handed a suspended sentence previously, and it was activated in April 2012, resulting in Prior serving three months' jail.

Mr Hughes said Prior believed jail was the best thing that had happened to him, because it forced him to reconsider his path in life.