Magistrate rips into ‘addicted mug’ thief

A MAGISTRATE has ripped into a teen at the wheel of a stolen car saga between Mackay and Collinsville, labelling the young thief as a “drug addicted mug”.

Kristopher Reece John Potter took two mates on a joyride in a stolen Peugeot, taken overnight on July 9-10 in Andergrove, when the trio pinched a second car that had been left running and with the keys in the ignition outside a Stanley St store at Collinsville.

Both vehicles were dumped when they ran out of fuel and the trio were arrested.

On Thursday, Potter, 19, pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to 49 charges committed between April 6 and July 12, 2021, in Mackay, Collinsville and Bowen – and as a result has been banned from having a licence for four years and nine months.

“I’ve definitely learned my lesson Your Honour,” Potter told Magistrate Damien Dwyer via videolink from Townsville Correctional Centre where he has spent the past 63 days.

Among the string of offences were two burglaries that Mr Dwyer considered the most serious charges.

“People are entitled to be in their homes and leave their homes without some drug addicted mug like you coming around,” Mr Dwyer said.

The court heard Potter had also been busted evading police in a stolen car while trying to cover his face with his arm.

“He stated he probably took the vehicle to go out and get drugs,” prosecutor Harry Coburn said.

Defence lawyer Rosie Varley said before this stint of offending Potter had been a hard working and contributing member of the community.

But he spiralled, she said, after a work injury in January 2021 when he fell about 10 metres from a roof and landed on a handrail.

Potter was sentenced to an Intensive Corrections Order for nine months, in that time he must submit to very strict conditions including monthly drug testing. Convictions were recorded.