Andrew Morris, 29, sentenced to prison after stealing cards, goods worth thousands of dollars

Grafton's Andrew Gregory Morris pleaded guilty to three counts of larceny with one involving goods worth between $2000 to $5000.

Moreover, he committed the offences while he was already under a community correction order and a conditional release order. They were imposed when he was found dishonestly obtaining property by deception and driving with illicit drugs in his system in 2021. He was re-sentenced for those charges as well.

The 29-year-old told police he had an 'ice' addiction which influences his crimes and behaviour. He said he had been clean for four months and was trying to go into a full-time rehabilitation.

According to court papers, Morris went to Nyngan's Riverside Tourist Park on September 13 last year and broke in to several guest vehicles.

Between 9.15pm and 5.50am the next day, he stole property from a Toyota Hilux, a Mitsubishi Triton and a Ford Ranger.

Morris took the Hilux owner's wallet containing $100 cash, his Victorian licence, four silver rings costing $200 each, another passenger's wallet with $20 along with personal cards, as well as $300 Ray-Ban and $160 Pit Viper sunglasses.

From the Triton, he stole a toolbox from the rear tray, a $800 gun kit, a $200 grinder and a cold saw worth $400.

The court heard, Morris stole binoculars worth $800 from the glove box of the Ranger along with a Navman handheld GPS and charger that cost $500. From the backseat, he took a passenger's 2XU bag containing clothing worth $1,000, a Taurus bag containing their passport and an HP laptop costing about $1,000.

From the same vehicle, Morris took an $140 Everlast bag with a Samsung 5 phone, charging wire, and two phone batteries. He also stole another bag with clothing, shoes and a MONSAC toiletries bag valued at $800. He also took a $200 multipurpose stool from the centre console.

About 7am, victims of the larceny noticed their vehicles had been broken into. They called the park manager who phoned police.

Police spoke to victims, searched the area, and found the red and black MONSAC toiletries bag inside a bin outside the nearby Rotary Park public toilets. The bag was taken for forensic examination and DNA trace from its zipper led the police to Morris.

Officers used a search warrant on October 7 last year, about 8.30am, to enter Morris' previous home in Ravenswood. They found and seized several items including one of the victims' personal cards along with the 2XU bag. Other stolen goods were not recovered.

On January 30, police went to Wellington Correctional Centre (WCC) where Morris was held for other stealing matters in Nyngan and arrested him for the above offences.

As for his 2021 offences, he was to be re-sentenced for seven counts of dishonestly obtaining property.

Police said he broke into a Ford Ranger at 4am on October 26 that year and stole the owner's wallet, cards, and $60 in cash. Morris also took a pair of binoculars worth $100, tyre deflater devices worth $130, a $50 multitool, and $250 Oakley sunglasses.

He then used the victim's National Australia Bank card at a Shell station at Tyndale and a BP station at south Grafton, after which the card continued to be used by other offenders. CCTV footage showed Morris purchasing goods worth $93.96 at Tyndale at 5.20am, and buying $266.37 of goods at Grafton.

On November 16, 2021, Morris was also caught driving with meth in his system about 2pm in Grafton.

Morris was in custody at WCC and appeared in Dubbo Local Court on February 1 via audio-visual link. Few of his family members were present in the public gallery while he was represented by his solicitor Bill Dickens.

"He comes before the court with a criminal record that does not afford him any leniency, he has previously served terms of imprisonment for similar offences in the past...," Mr Dickens said.

"The community would be helped if rehabilitation [occurred] so he doesn't continue offending."

Magistrate Gary Wilson said the aggravating factor was that Morris was on two community correction orders (CCO) and a conditional release order (CRO) at the time of the larceny offences.

"You're a young bloke aren't you? Mum and dad are here, you've got a lot of support but if you don't support yourself you're going to go to prison," Mr Wilson told Morris.

"You wont come [to court] again, unless you want to go to prison."

"Never again, your Honour," Morris replied.

"The community and you will be better served if you pull your socks up..." Mr Wilson said.

For breaching the CCOs and CRO, Morris was fined $770, disqualified from driving for six months and imposed another CCO for two years which included drug rehabilitation.

The magistrate then sentenced him to an aggregate term of imprisonment of eight months expiring on September 30, 2023, for the three larceny offences. Morris will serve this term by way of intensive correction in the community at Grafton.