A 55-year-old offender who reverted back to drug use and offending last year was sentenced to a "merciful' five month jail term by a Launceston magistrate on Tuesday.
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Anthony Robert Tuck of Risdon Prison pleaded guilty on Friday to numerous shoplifting offences committed all over the state from Burnie to St Helens to suburban Hobart between July and September 2019.
One offence was hiring out a roasting oven and failing to return it to Weeding Party Hire.
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Another offence was failing to pay for two nights accommodation and a meal worth $286 in Ulverstone.
"You have a long history of supporting a drug habit with shop stealing," Magistrate Sharon Cure said in the plea hearing.
In sentencing on Tuesday she commended Tuck for his politeness in court and his expressed wish to give up drug use.
She activated a five-month suspended sentence from December 2018 because of the latest offending and backdated it to April 10, 2020 when Tuck was taken into custody.
She handed Tuck a five-month sentence for the shoplifting offences, but allowed it to be served concurrently with the suspended sentence-meaning Tuck could be out of jail in a "month or two".
"I have no option Mr Tuck the five month suspended sentence had to be restored," she said.
"It is merciful of me to allow you to serve the other five months concurrently."
Last week Tuck appealed to Ms Cure for a home detention order, but a corrections officer said that would not be possible because of his history of drug offending.
"As I said last week Mr Tuck its not just what suits you, I have to address general deterrence and denunciation of your offending," Ms Cure said.
"I'm very appreciative Your Honour, you have not given up on me," Tuck said.
"Well you have always been polite and I believe your wishes to rehabilitate are genuine," she replied.
"Thank you Your Honour, I will do my best not to let you down," he said.
Ms Cure also sentenced Tuck to a 12-month Community Correction Order upon release.
In 2015 The Examiner reported that Tuck was sentenced to six months jail for a $10,000 shoplifting spree across Launceston.
And in 2017 he claimed "prison is no place for me" after pleading guilty to 30 counts of stealing.
He has been committed to the Supreme Court on August 31, at 10am on an indictable matter.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
