Car thief left cousin standing at fuel pump with nozzle in his hand

Brady Leigh Wheldon, 25, pleaded guilty to a large number of offences, including aggravated burglary, burglary, stealing, computer-related fraud, possessing controlled drugs, motor vehicle stealing, possessing dangerous articles, disturbing the public peace, and unlawful possession of property.

He was released from jail in September 2023 but became effectively homeless because his mother had already left for Townsville, Queensland.

Police prosecutor Robert Shepherd told the court that on September 28, Wheldon entered the Good Guys and left with two Dyson vacuum cleaners that he had not paid for.

On October 1, he stole meat worth $272 from Coles Kings Meadows and was caught on CCTV.

In November, he forced open the rear door of a house in Franmaree Rd and stole passports, licences, credit cards and jewellery worth $10,380. Police found three fingerprints on a window he tried to enter by.

On November 27, he rode to a home on Jellico Street, and in trying to remove a CCTV system, he cut his finger, leaving blood at the site. He found a wooden box with $135 cash.

Later that day, he lost his cool when taxis kept driving past him in Newstead. He believed it was a deliberate snub. He was seeking to go to the LGH for treatment for his cut finger.

He pulled a small axe from his trousers with the idea that he was going to hit himself in the head.

Police caught up with shortly after and found several items of stolen property.

In December, he stole a handbag containing $375 while a householder was showering.

On December 5, he contacted his cousin for a lift to Beauty Point. Mrs Shepherd said that at Legana, the car stopped at the Ampol service station, where the cousin got out to fill the car with petrol.

"The defendant got out holding a hammer and got into the driver's seat and drove off, leaving the complainant holding the fuel pump nozzle," Mr Shepherd said.

The next day, he went to a house in Lavender Grove, removed the louvres from a window, and climbed inside.

"The defendant located a key safe containing $20,000 cash and fled the area," Mr Shepherd said.

Wheldon was finally arrested on December 15 when driving a Ford Ranger in Ravenswood. A search found diazepam, methamphetamine and cannabis in the vehicle.

A community correction order was made to provide him support on his release from prison, but it was cancelled.

Defence lawyer Hannah Phillips said Wheldon came from a hardworking middle-class family but had no work history himself.

He had significant learning difficulties, and medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder had launched him into drug taking.

"His addiction was the catalyst for all for all of offending," Ms Phillips said.

She said his offending had been amateurish and opportunistic, with no use of disguises.

Ms Phillips said his mother had offered him a place to live in Townsville in what would be a last chance.

A letter he wrote was handed to magistrate Ken Stanton.

In sentencing, Mr Stanton said the total of the offending was $37,944.

'You have received lengthy terms of imprisonment in the past related to illicit drug use," he said.

He said he believed the letter was sincere, but the important thing was to translate it into changed behaviour.

Mr Stanton sentenced him to 12 months in jail, backdated to December 15, when he was arrested.

Two months of the sentence was suspended for 12 months from release.

"Your best opportunity is to go to Queensland and remove yourself from drug connections down here and not look for them up there," Mr Stanton said.