A MAN who crashed his car while drink-driving also decided to go on a two-month rampage, stealing alcohol from Ballarat hotels and other businesses, a court has heard.
Craig Kenneth Kemp, 39, was jailed for 18 months yesterday after he pleaded guilty to 14 charges including five of burglary, five of theft and a single charge of careless driving.
Kemp sat slouched in the dock of Ballarat’s Magistrates Court wearing his green prison -issued tracksuit, and had to be told by his lawyer to sit up straight.
The court heard Kemp had a blood-alcohol content of 0.156 when, on the evening of November 4, 2011, he failed to negotiate a left-hand bend in Wendouree.
Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant David Cosgriff said Kemp’s ute crashed into a nearby fence and also damaged two parked vehicles.
Late last year, Kemp carried out a series of break-ins at Ballarat businesses, mainly stealing cash and alcohol.
Twice he broke into the Bunch of Grapes Hotel, and also targeted the Grapes Hotel, the Aldi supermarket on Creswick Road, the Wendouree Bakehouse and the ElecSmart shop in Peel Street. He was repeatedly caught on CCTV cameras, and a forensic examination of a beanie left at the bakery theft was also conducted.
Defence lawyer Mike Wardell said Kemp had an IQ of 60 and was often influenced by others. He said the father-of-three had a “full blown” ice addiction at the time but was working to get his life back on track.
Magistrate Michelle Hodgson said she had little choice but to jail Kemp, sentencing him to 18 months in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 12 months.
Kemp’s driver’s licence was also cancelled for 15 months.
“If you drive at over 0.15 of course you’re going to have an accident and you’re going to damage property,” she said. “You have a lengthy history of dishonesty matters and a very serious prior history.”
Kemp has already served 43 days.