Laptop photo leads police to offender

A 23-YEAR-OLD Toowoomba man was linked by police to a stolen laptop computer after he used the laptop to take a photograph of himself.

Even though the laptop had not been found, Tanner Hughie Mark Williams admitted the image of the person photographed was him, which had been linked to his Facebook account, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

However, he said he had not stolen the laptop but had bought it off “two young fellas” for $50 and had since given it back to them, police prosecutor Leah Trewin told the court.

Williams appeared by video link from Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre to plead guilty to receiving tainted property arising from that incident as well as to a string of other offences committed between May and December last year while he was subject to a 12month probation order for previous offending.

Among those offences was the stealing of a $450 bicycle stolen from a Mary St address that he was seen by police riding nearby.

Magistrate Damian Carroll said one of the most concerning aspects of Williams’ offending was that he was being sentenced for five separate offences of possessing a knife in a public place in Toowoomba, including inside a pub.

Williams told police he carried a knife for protection, which made Mr Carroll even more concerned.

“Every day in Australia someone is hurting themselves or killing themselves or someone else with a knife,” Mr Carroll said.

Defence solicitor Sarah Campbell, of David Burns Lawyers, told the court her client had endured a traumatic time after losing 17 family members or friends over a sixmonth period.

On many occasions he couldn’t attend the funeral which added to the loss.

Her client also lost another two family members while he was in custody and struggled to deal with his grief, she said.

However, he hoped upon his release to move to the Sunshine Coast with an uncle, Mrs Campbell said.

Magistrate Carroll declared 85 days pre-sentence custody as time served and sentenced Williams to six months in jail but ordered he be released on parole immediately.