Gregory Frail convicted in Orange Local Court for stealing electronics and alcohol

Gregory James Frail, 48, of Moad Street, walked into Jaycar Electronics at the Orange Homemaker Centre on September 20, 2021, with a woman at 1pm.

According to information presented to the court, Frail was wearing a mask, as required to prevent the spread of COVID-19, when they entered the store.

The woman filled out the sign-in sheet with her details but Frail lowered his mask once he was inside.

An employee recognised Frail from previous thefts at the store and watched Frail's movements on the CCTV system and saw him place a laptop computer charger up his jumper.

Frail then went to another section of the store and hid a LED light kit valued at $169 up his jumper.

The employee left the office where he was watching once the saw the theft taking place but the woman who entered the store at the same time as Frail approached the employee and asked for help selecting a pair of headphones.

While the employee was distracted, Frail placed the laptop charger back on a shelf but took a pair of wireless earphones worth $149 and walked out of the shop while carrying them.

Frail was also convicted of stealing two bottles of Bundaberg Rum from Dan Murphy's on March 1 and 9.

According to the information presented to the court, he stole a bottle of rum valued at $50 on March 1, 2021, and on March 9, 2021, he stole another valued at $71 by placing it down his pants.

Solicitor Simon Populin said Frail was on "a number of" community-based jail sentences by way of Intensive Correction Orders at the time of the offences. The ICOs have since expired.

"The one thing that saves Mr Frail is the significant time since the offence," he said.

Mr Populin attributed Frail's lack of offending since these charges were laid to changes in his housing situation that have helped him with his alcohol and drug use.

Magistrate David Day also noted Frail had a liking for substances, in addition to alcohol, after reading a summary of the offences and background material.

"He has a liking for rum, for which he doesn't like to pay," Mr Day said.

"I don't think he's crossed the custody threshold."

Mr Day convicted Frail and fined him $1100 for larceny and and ordered him to repay $318 in compensation to Jaycar Orange.

Mr Day also fined Frail $110 for not wearing a fitted face covering while in an indoor area in contradiction of public health orders.

For stealing the two bottles of rum, Mr Day placed Frail on two concurrent 18-month Community Correction Orders that will require Frail to participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs.

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