Tragedy not an excuse: lawyer

A TOOWOOMBA man who lost his mother and brother in the city’s 2011 floods realised he couldn’t use that tragedy as an excuse for offending behaviour, his solicitor has told a court.

Kyle Robert Rice appeared by prison video link to plead guilty before Toowoomba Magistrates Court to more than 20 offences including two counts of driving stolen vehicles and a serious burglary of a home in Glenvale in February.

The court heard the 22-year-old had been subject to parole, probation and community service orders at the time of some of the offending.

He had been held in custody since his arrest on February 23 and was serving out a previous jail term which was due to complete next week.

His solicitor Brad Skuse told the court it was well known his client had lost his mother and brother in the floods and that had been put before the courts in the past.

However, his client realised he had to take responsibility for his own actions and prior to his arrest he had been seeking help to deal with his issues, he said.

Mr Skuse said drugs had been the driving force behind his client’s offending which had resulted in his five pages of criminal history.

Magistrate Kay Ryan took into account Rice had been in custody since February 23 and sentenced him to 12 months in jail but ordered he be released on parole as of November 11.

Rice was also sentenced to 12 month jail term, wholly suspended for two years.