A Ravenswood man who caused $2182 damage to a gaming machine is seeking to stay out of jail via a drug treatment order after pleading guilty in the Launceston Magistrates court to numerous charges.
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Tyler Aaron Forbes, 31, pleaded guilty to several counts of motor vehicle stealing, injuring property, being prepared for the commission of a crime, stealing, drug charges, unlawful possession of property, firearms charges and breach of bail in 2021 and 2022.
Forbes served six months in jail from February to August last year after being found guilty by a jury of a $20,000 firearm heist at Nabowla in April 2021.
At the time of sentencing in February 2023, Justice Robert Pearce imposed a twelve-month suspended sentence on the condition that he not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment for two years.
"You have displayed little insight into the seriousness of the matter or acceptance of responsibility," Justice Pearce said.
Police prosecutor Yoav Sered said Forbes and a female went to the Country Club casino at 12.30 am, went straight to the gaming area, and played on a gaming machine.
"At 12.51, he punched the gaming screen and then ran to the Water Garden," he said.
He caused damage worth $2182.40.
Forbes pleaded guilty to several counts of stealing petrol by filling up and driving off in April and May 2022.
He stole an Isuzu utility in Ross and placed letter box numbers over parts of the number plate.
On May 20 2022 he stole a Mazda utility from the TAFE car park in Alanvale Rd and drove to a petrol station and filled up with $125 worth of fuel.
On June 5 2022 a Mazda utility was stolen from Coles at Newstead and dumped in Riverside without its wheels and tyres but did contain a high grade DNA match to Forbes.
A week later he stole a Nissan Navara from the Bunnings car park and then drove to a fuel station in Invermay and filled up with $156.73 worth of diesel.
He also stole a Nissan Pulsar in August 2022 which was recovered in Newnham and yielded a high grade DNA match.
When intercepted in a Subaru Impreza in January 2023 the vehicle contained shotgun and .22 rifles cartridges.
After being released from jail in August 2023 he filmed himself in December 2023 when stealing a $300 CCTV camera.
Mr Sered made an oral application for the suspended sentence to be activated.
Defence lawyer Patrick O' Halloran said Forbes had an addiction to ice at the time of a mid to high volume of crimes.
He said that a report from the Department of Community Corrections found Forbes unsuitable for a drug treatment order.
Mr O' Halloran said Forbes was on bail in relation to a Supreme Court matter involving a man well known to police to which had pleaded not guilty.
"There is an extraordinary delay in getting matters finalised now and it will not be heard this year and probably not next year," Mr O' Halloran said.
He said Forbes had clearly committed further offences while on the suspended sentence.
But he said Forbes was now employed and in a stable relationship and there was a significant reduction in drug use.
A drug treatment order can only be given if a magistrate believes none of any jail term should be suspended.
Magistrate Ken Stanton adjourned sentencing until May 1 at 2.15pm.
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.
