A Local Court magistrate was fuming after a Rosehill man fronted court with a cigarette behind his ear and an untucked shirt.
“Put it [the cigarette] in your pocket… you’re at court, show some respect,” Magistrate Peter Feather said.
John Stebbings, 21, appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday, February 22, charged with ‘shoplifting’, ‘entering enclosed lands without lawful excuse’ and ‘goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen’.
The court heard that the accused breached his Intensive Correction Order when he stole two beef Porterhouse steaks worth $52.32 from Woolworths at Parramatta Westfield shopping centre.
According to police, the Loss Prevention Officers informed them that Stebbings walked out of the store without paying for the items.
He was placed under arrest and cautioned.
Police say that after further enquiries, they established that he is banned from all Woolworths stores in NSW.
They conducted a search for other stolen items and found a school opal card.
When questioned, he told police, “I found it”.
The magistrate noted that Stebbings has previously been sentenced for a stealing offence.
“Your attitude shows an ongoing disobedience to the law,” the magistrate told the
court.
“I don’t know what the future holds for you but if you keep committing these offences you will go to jail”.
Stebbings was convicted and fined $950.
Formerly with the ABC, Makayla is a graduate of Western Sydney University. She covers a variety of news topics for Parra News.