A MAN was sentenced to nine months jail for shoplifting after he appeared via audio visual link at Orange Local Court on Monday.
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Garry Matthew Whiteley was sentenced to nine months jail with a non-parole period of six months after pleading guilty to the shoplifting charge for stealing a $149.99 Republic jacket from an Orange department store.
The 26-year-old South Terrace resident was apprehended by police on July 19.
However, he came to police notice for failing to report to Orange Police Station between July 6 and July 17 as part of his conditions for two suspended jail bonds relating to previous offences.
According to a police statement Whiteley had been granted bail in Orange Local Court on April 28 subject to conditions that included reporting to Orange Police Station daily and not to enter the building from where he stole the jacket.
While police were looking for Whiteley in regard to the bonds, he and a co-accused were seen at the department store where a witness spotted him pick up a brown Republic jacket and put it in a trolley being pushed by the co-accused and leave the store without paying for it.
The police statement said a member of the public who recognised Whiteley notified staff of the theft and police were contacted and then reviewed CCTV footage.
The statement said Whiteley was clearly captured taking the jacket and was easily identified.
When police arrived at his house they identified clothing he was wearing during the theft and despite initially denying that he had taken the jacket he ended up handing it over to the police.
Whiteley was represented in court by legal aid solicitor Gerry Stapleton who said his client had been in custody for two months.
“Mr Whiteley said he was recently released from jail and went to Myers department store where he took the jacket, it looked to be his size, there was no planning involved in the committing of the offence,” Mr Stapleton said.
“The property was returned, he was caught and that’s the end of it.”
During the sentencing magistrate Terry Lucas brought up the matter of the existing bonds.
“You are on section 12 [suspended jail] bonds that I gave you,” he said.
He backdated the jail time to July 19 when Whiteley was arrested meaning he could be free on April 18 pending the outcome of other matters due for a hearing next month and an appearance in district court in November.