By Melissa Coleman
Last Wednesday, Stanthorpe Courthouse was busy with cases ranging from drug driving to harassment and assault and other serious charges.
One of the cases heard involved an unemployed Wallangarra man who found a wallet and went on a spending spree from Stanthorpe to Warwick because he said “it was his birthday and he wanted to treat himself“.
The man was charged with stealing, six counts of fraud, driving while disqualified and evading police.
The court heard that the birthday boy found a lost wallet on Sugerloaf St, Stanthorpe on 24 March.
He pocketed the bank card and discarded the wallet in nearby scrub.
The accused used the card to buy fuel and food before driving, even though he is a disqualified driver, to Rose City Plaza in Warwick where he purchased more food.
He then tried to buy himself a birthday gift, namely a mobile phone, at Big W.
However, his candles were soon blown out when he went to pay, and the card declined.
Not to be deterred, he attempted to purchase another mobile device at Australia Post, then went to KFC where both transactions where declined.
As soon as the card owner noticed strange transactions, he had contacted his bank.
On 30 May, police intercepted the man in a silver ford sedan north of Wallangarra.
Police executed a U-turn, but the man accelerated rapidly and refused to stop.
He continued to accelerate, leaving police with no alternative but to terminate the pursuit due to dangerous high speeds.
The following day the perpetrator was located on foot in Wallangarra and arrested.
Police prosecution said the man had no criminal history.
Magistrate Vanessa Sturgess said the crime of evading police holds a hefty fine of $7187. 50 or 50 days of jail time.
She ruled that the man be released on probation for nine months, fined and convicted $7187.50 for evading the police and fined $178 to be paid to the bank and the victim.
That’s one way, but definitely not the right way, to have a memorial birthday.
