Court orders man to pay compensation after break-in, vehicle theft

Jason Green, 19, of Goulburn pleaded guilty to six charges when he appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, June 12. These were: Larceny to a value greater than $2000; aggravated break, enter and steal from a dwelling in company; dispose of motor vehicle part - theft; possess prohibited drug; destroy or damage property; and contravene an AVO.

Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said the charges related to three sets of matters from different dates.

She said the "more serious" charge related to Green's break and entry of a Marulan district property, with a co-accused in July and August, 2023.

Magistrate Beattie said on July 19, 2023 after the pair unsuccessfully tried to access a storage container and semi-trailer parked on the property, they smashed a glass door and broke inside the home. There they stole a computer monitor, an internet modem, a CCTV system and car keys.

The court heard that about August 3, Green and the co-accused returned to the property and stole 10 vehicles. Magistrate Beattie said Green later made full admissions to police that he sold them to a scrap metal dealer for $150 each.

She noted that Green had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Magistrate Beattie said when police investigated the matter in August, 2023, they found 21.29g of cannabis at his home.

The magistrate said that separately, Green had "helped himself" to a woman's $107 in poker machine winnings at a Goulburn hotel on May 6, 2024.

Solicitor Tracey Annan said her client had not engaged with treatment programs as well as he could have but there had been recent improvement.

"He is a very unsophisticated young man doing all this on his own while working," she said.

Ms Annan requested an intensive corrections order, enabling Green to access help.

Magistrate Beattie said Green had eventually made full admissions. She noted the matter had been adjourned in February to allow Green to show he was addressing his issues. However she said the accused had done "little" since then and had only recently re-engaged with Headspace.

The magistrate convicted Green on all charges and imposed a 12-month and intensive corrections order for the break, enter and steal charge; a seven-month intensive corrections order for disposing of the vehicles; a nine-month community corrections order for damaging property; and a six-month community corrections order for the larceny charge. On the drug matter, Magistrate Beattie recorded a conviction but took no further action.

She also ordered him to pay $12,255 in compensation to the property owner. Under the orders, Green must engage in mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, not associate with the co-accused and accept the supervision of Community Corrections.