Chronic recidivist from Mandurah sentenced to prison

A GREENFIELDS man convicted of stealing 46 times since 2012, with eight driving convictions, was sentenced to a year in jail on December 8.

John Lenard Okey appeared via videolink from Hakea Prison where he has been remanded for five months.

Okey pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon, ten stealing charges, trespass and two charges of having no authority to drive.

He was sentenced to eight months in jail for the first driving offence and five months in jail for the second offence, to be served cumulatively.

Okey became irate when Magistrate Vivien Edwards sentenced him to jail.

He began shouting that he wanted to change his plea.

“You’ve got a signed affidavit from the driver it’s illegal for me to plead guilty,” he yelled.

Magistrate Edwards stopped the proceedings so Okey’s lawyer could speak to him.

When court returned Magistrate Edwards gave Okey a global fine of $1000 for possession of a sword, for nine of the stealing offences and trespassing.

She ordered the forfeiture of the sword, that police discovered in the front passenger seat of Okey’s car, following a stealing spree at Masters in Greenfields on July 25.

“Can I get the sword back? It’s a collector’s item, I got it for my birthday,” he said.

Magistrate Edwards told Okey he could not have the sword.

She sentenced him to a further three months in prison for the theft of a box of items worth $1082.90 from Repco Baldivis.

It was at this point that Okey lost his self control.

When Magistrate Edwards spoke, Okey stood up, slammed the table and yelled f**k off.

He left Hakea’s holding area and did not return.

Magistrate Edwards told counsel for the accused to “please pass the rest of the information on to Mr Okey”.

Okey will have the option to apply for parole Magistrate Edwards said.

His stealing spree began in November last year and lasted until July this year.

The police prosecutor told the court he stole meat worth $336.90 in total on two occasions from Coles and on another occasion from Woolworths.

Okey also stole a box from Harvey Norman, after he entered the store via the loading dock.

He went into Priceline at Meadow Springs on June 29 and selected items from the shelves, which he concealed in his clothes.

He stole a Dyson vacuum cleaner from the Good Guys in Greenfields on July 9.

A shop assistant from a nearby store spotted him walking through the car park with the vacuum and recognised him from her own dealings with him, the prosecutor said.

She confronted him and he took the vacuum back.

Okey was caught driving in San Remo on June 4 and in Erskine on July 25, despite his licence being disqualified in December 2011 until September 2016.