A man admitted during an assessment for a community corrections order he was persistently stealing high value alcohol from bottle shops around Ballarat to fund his heroin addiction.
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Joshue Kakoschke faced the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty to 16 charges last week.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Giles Brown told the court last Monday Kakoschke gave a false name to police when he was the passenger of a car with stolen number plates.
The driver told police Kakoschke had fixed the stolen plates to the car and brought a baseball bat in the car with him before they were pulled over in August 2020.
He told police he gave them a false name because he did not want to get in trouble for the weapon in the back.
The court heard Kakoschke began stealing almost $1000 worth of alcohol from Ballarat bottle shops in January 2021.
On January 18 he stole a one litre bottle of Candian Club from BWS in Sebastopol, valued at $130.
On February 1 he stole two bottles of Jim Beam from the same store valued at $128.
You were stealing for intentional criminal financial gain. Were conduct of this nature to continue you would finish up in prison.
- Magistrate Ron Saines
Senior Constable Brown said Kakoschke went to the same store again and left without paying for a four pack of Jack Daniels on February 17.
Later the same day he stole four one litre bottles of Jim Beam from Dan Murphy's in Ballarat Central valued at $325.
Two days later he stole the same alcohol from the same store and on February 22 he stole five bottles of Jim Beam valued at $267 from BWS in Delacombe.
Kakoschke also pleaded guilty to stealing Lego from Target and attempting to steal from Total Tools on March 7.
He was arrested at the store when police arrived and they found him with tin snips and garden snips in his bag.
Kakoschke told police he used the snips to cut the tags off items.
Police checks showed he was on two counts of bail at the time.
Defence lawyer Sarah Wiltshire said Kakoschke was trying to find stable accommodation but could stay with a friend until he 'got back on his feet'.
She said he was doing some work a few days a week.
Magistrate Ron Saines said Kakoschke explained his persistent theft of alcohol during a community corrections order assessment as to fund his heroin use.
"You were stealing for intentional criminal financial gain. Were conduct of this nature to continue you would finish up in prison," he said.
"It seems you have had a bit of a shock since March and you may have ceased your pattern of dishonest behaviour. It is just as well."
Mr Saines said Kakoschke had a limited prior history and was of a young age, so he would impose a community corrections order to provide a framework for personal change.
"The intention is to provide you with a strategy to get out of persistent criminal offending," he said.
Kakoschke was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with a requirement to complete 80 hours of unpaid community work.
He will also be required to undergo treatment and rehabilitation for drug abuse and mental health issues.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
