AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
Soft-touch magistrates, you must be so proud. Ten years later, your little scumbag is all grown up and still getting an easy ride
A CAREER criminal sentenced to jail time totalling more than 42 years yesterday will be free in November.
Soft-touch magistrate Bernadette Callaghan sentenced Zak Luke Cree to 11 jail terms ranging from 50 days to 33 months, but ordered them to be served at the same time, taking into account 185 days already served.
Cree’s own defence lawyer said the thief, drug user, disqualified driver, fraudster and police basher should be released from jail after 10 months.
Ms Callaghan gave him a sentence that will see him out in five.
One of his charges was assaulting police. A conviction was recorded but there was no further punishment.
The Gold Coast Bulletin has chronicled Cree’s crimes for 12 years — and the many chances the judiciary has given him to turn his life around.
His sob story of excuses has changed but his behaviour hasn’t — including escaping from a maximum security prison.
A LIFETIME criminal who’s been in and out of jail since he was 17 was sentenced to jail time totalling more than 42 years yesterday – but he’ll be released this November.
Magistrate Bernadette Callaghan sentenced Zak Luke Cree, aka Zac Cree, to 11 jail terms ranging from 50 days to 33 months, but ordered them to be served at the same time, taking into account 185 days already served.
Cree’s own defence lawyer Sam Rigby asked for him to be released after 10 months, but Ms Callaghan handed him a sentence that will see him out in five.
Mr Rigby described his client’s behaviour last December, which resulted in 20 charges, as a “drug binge” after he “lost the plot”.
The court heard Cree, 29, who was disqualified “absolutely” from driving 10 years ago, went on a rampage through the Gold Coast and Redlands region last December, stealing three cars, one of which was found burnt out, and attempting to steal a fourth.
High on prescription and illegal drugs including Xanax, Valium and Fantasy, he broke into one home, tried to get into another as the terrified occupants watched from inside, used a stolen credit card, led police on a high-speed chase through Southport and was found slumped behind the wheel of one of the stolen cars.
He resisted arrest and kicked an officer in the chest.
For seven of the charges, including assault police, obstruct police, failing to dispose of a syringe, possession of a utensil and fraud, Ms Callaghan recorded convictions but did not issue any further punishment.
For four charges of disqualified driving, Ms Callaghan issued the lowest possible disqualification of two years and gave him advice on how to have his absolute disqualification lifted so he could “see the light at the end of the tunnel”.
“You’ve got a dreadful driving history – seven disqualified driving, five unlicensed, four dangerous driving – you should not be driving.
“If you keep re-offending the jail door will be a revolving door.”
The Bulletin has written about Cree for more than 12 years. Ten years ago, police criticised his release on bail for driving and theft charges after he absconded from court-ordered drug rehabilitation.
His sad backstory has changed from court appearance to court appearance – in 2013, his defence lawyer said he’d used heroin from age 16, but yesterday the court heard he’d been on it since he was 10.
Cree’s mother was an abusive prostitute, Mr Rigby said yesterday, and he had never had a “support network” in his life. All he wants now is “to be a father to his child”, a threeyear-old girl whose mother has also been jailed. Cree was among three inmates to escape from maximum security jail in NSW in 2013 and was found hiding in his girlfriend’s Pacific Pines roof a month later. Even before that he had a history of crime – he was arrested in 2005 for stealing cars, knocking a boy unconscious and leading police on a high-speed chase.
He was granted bail in February 2007 and was ordered to stay in a drug rehab centre. He sneaked out 24 hours later. On his recapture, a detective told the Bulletin: ‘‘He’s one of the most prolific offenders on the Coast”.
“These offenders say the things they know judges and magistrates want to hear, get bail or drug court rehab and before you know it, they are back doing what they were before,’’ the officer said.
Cree will be released on parole on November 20.