Serial thief convicted
But avoids jail with ‘good record’
A YOUNG man has avoided jail time for stealing meat, punching a woman, robbing a tradie, abusing police and driving offences involving the drug ice, because of his “good record”.
Zak Michael Schembri, 19, appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday, where he was convicted over a list of offences committed in 2021 and 2022.
For his offences, he was given an overall sentence of six months in prison, wholly suspended for three years, and a community corrections order.
The court heard Schembri punched a 38-year-old woman during an argument in a share house, causing swelling to the forehead and lip.
On March 20, he called two police officers “f---ing idiots” and “stupid sl-s”, before threatening a third police officer by saying “I’ll f---king shoot you too,”.
This was followed up by another incident on April 9, when he swore at a constable.
The court heard he filled a shopping basket with meat at a Sorell grocery before bolting out of the store.
On April 16, 2021, he went on a looting spree of tradie vehicles, stealing an assortment of power tools worth about $2000, $4000 and $2500 from three utes.
On May 22, 2021, he spotted a parked Gold Mazda 323 and tried to roll it out of the driveway in an attempt to steal it, but he failed.
On April 28, 2021, he ordered a taxi to take him from Orielton to Warrane, but when he arrived he made off without payment.
On April 17, he drove into a ditch, and a subsequent fluid test found that he had been high on methamphetamine at the time.
His defence lawyer said that Schembri’s stealing was by a young offender who was motivated by a need to fuel his drug addiction.
“I would simply say a lot of this offending, his stealing offending, arises out of Schembri’s abuse of methamphetamine,” he said.
The defence lawyer said Schembri was now off methamphetamine and was employed as a detailer.
Magistrate Chris Webster said he would give a suspended sentence due to the defendant’s young age and his “relatively” clean record.
“He’s got youth on his side and he’s got a good record. A good record for these courts, anyway,” he said.
“Mr Schembri, you’re on the border of going to prison.
“It’s only your young age and your good record that are the reasons you’re not going to prison today.”