Justin Philip Hodgson, 42, of Numurkah, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to three counts of theft, driving while disqualified, using an unregistered motor vehicle and two counts of failing to answer bail.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Carita Thompson told the court Hodgson stole eight items, including doughnuts, deli meat, Maybelline make-up and lolly snakes, totalling $109.80 from Ritchies IGA Numurkah on November 24, 2024.
The court heard he’d been suspected of taking items from the store in the past.
Leading Sen Constable Thompson said Hodgson was caught on CCTV taking a large piece of galvanised iron from a Numurkah property on November 14, 2024, the night after he initially broke into the backyard with a co-accused.
He also stole an item from Numurkah Home Hardware on June 11, concealing it in his jacket and leaving behind an empty box, the court heard.
On June 12, police pulled Hodgson over on Corke St, Numurkah while driving a vehicle that had a registration that had expired in 2006.
He was also disqualified from driving, Leading Sen Constable Thompson said.
Hodgson’s defence solicitor Luke Slater acknowledged his client had prior offending, but said he had pleaded guilty at a relatively early opportunity.
He told the court Hodgson had been out of work for a number of years, but had since been doing casual work on a farm near Numurkah where he lives.
Magistrate Victoria Campbell said she had some sympathy towards Hodgson, given what he stole was mainly food, but told him he’d go to prison if he kept offending.
Hodgson was fined $1500.
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