Building climbing ‘nuisance’ on parole

A MAN who was “annoying and threatening members of the public” before scaling a Portsmith building has been released on parole.

The Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday heard William Stuart Creber entered Cairns Central on November 2 and swore at and threatened members of the public.

Prosecutor Gary Prior said the 35-year-old also climbed onto the roof of a business at 99 Spence St the same day.

Mr Creber then entered Rydges Hotel the following day, stealing a promotional Esky that contained alcohol and other drinks.

He pleaded guilty to a total of seven charges, including public nuisance offences, breach of bail conditions, unregulated high-rick activities, and enter premises and commit indictable offence.

Mr Creber appeared before the court with a 12-page criminal history. Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Trish Price said Mr Creber had a long history of schizophrenia and drug addiction. “The offending is more of a nuisance than a criminality,” she said.

Having spent 128 days in pre-sentence custody, Magistrate Allan Comans granted Mr Creber immediate parole.

“The public see you as behaving very bizarrely and it frightens them,” Mr Comans said. “They’re entitled to use the shops … without having to be frightened by you.”