Charity fails in bid to recover $10 from homeless man

LIFELINE tried to claim restitution from a homeless man who had stolen $10 in clothing from their Southport store, the Southport Magistrates Court was told.

Laurence Beaumont, 58, yesterday pleaded guilty to a single charge of stealing.

Prosecutor Donn Reid told the court Beaumont took a T-shirt and jeans from the Southport shop on November 18 last year.

After taking the clothes, Beaumont stripped on Railway St, changed his clothes and fled, Mr Reid told the court. Duty lawyer Kate Stacey told the court Beaumont had undergone rehabilitation for alcohol addiction.

Beaumont had spent a night in custody over the theft. Magistrate Joan White convicted Beaumont but declined to further punish him and did not make an order for restitution.