KMART THIEF GETS NEW CHANCE

A THIEF who assaulted a Kmart worker who tried to stop him leaving the store with stolen fishing lures has been given one more chance to sort his life out or he risks being put behind bars.

Daniel Frances Ferguson was sentenced in the Burnie Supreme Court on Monday after pleading guilty to a charge of robbery.

The court was told that in September last year, Ferguson went to the Kmart store in Devonport and stole fishing lures. He was homeless and hungry and planned to catch fish to eat. As he went to leave the store he was approached by a Kmart employee.

Ferguson punched him in the face and knocked him to the floor. Members of the public held Ferguson down until police arrived.

The total price of the fishing equipment was just $15.

Ferguson later wrote to the worker to apologise.

The court heard that the 30-year-old, who is a habitual cannabis smoker, had been homeless since April last year and had a substantial history of stealing low-value items.

“A fine would be pointless. I will give you one last chance to amend your ways,” Ferguson was told by the sentencing judge.

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has been waiting for Ferguson’s sentence to be delivered so it could offer him support to get his life on track.

Ferguson was sentenced to six months’ jail. The sentence was suspended on the condition he does not commit any major offence over the next 24 months.