The Gold Coast Bulletin

CONVICTION THE PUNCHLINE TO PADDLE POP ‘JOKE’

- LEA EMERY

A “STUPID joke” that went too far in the theft of a giant paddle pop sculpture from the shores of a Broadbeach canal has left a youth with a criminal record and on a good behaviour bond.

Police told the Southport Magistrate­s Court yesterday the theft was not malicious.

Despite this, when Benjamin Stephen Lessue, 17, pleaded guilty to one charge of stealing the $4000 sculpture, he still copped a $500 bond for 12 months and a conviction was recorded against him.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Douglas Bettany told the court when police spoke to Lessue it was clear the theft was not malicious.

“It was a joke,” he said Lessue had told police. “They just wanted to get rid of it.”

Sgt Bettany said Lessue and an accomplice had been driving a dinghy on the canal on December 6 when they spotted the giant icy treat sculpture near the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

The pair stopped their boat to wrangle the 60kg sculpture, a part of Pacific Fair’s Christmas decoration installati­on, into their tinnie.

Sgt Bettany said the pair put the paddle pop in the boat and travelled about 500m before pushing the sculpture overboard.

The theft sparked a citywide hunt for the culprits. Lessue’s father was quick to put two and two together and made his son go to police to confess.

“He said he was the person responsibl­e for this offence and that it was a stupid idea,” Sgt Bettany said.

Defence lawyer Michael McMillan, of McMillan Criminal Law, said Lessue, an apprentice motor mechanic, was caught up with his friend.

“He is someone who would never consider stealing so his father drags him down to the police station,” Mr McMillan said.

The court was told a member of the public found the sculpture a few days later and it was returned to Pacific Fair.

A second person has yet to face court.

 ??  ?? Benjamin Stephen Lessue pleaded guilty to stealing a giant paddle pop (right) from outside Pacific Fair.
Benjamin Stephen Lessue pleaded guilty to stealing a giant paddle pop (right) from outside Pacific Fair.
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