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Mandurah: accused pleads guilty to 16 charges including stealing Tapout shirt

Rachel FennerMandurah Coastal Times

IMMATURITY was the reason given for a 26-year-old man’s crime spree throughout Mandurah and Rockingham.

Matthew Leigh Price pleaded guilty to 16 charges in Mandurah Magistrates Court today ; including dangerous driving, possessing a methamphetamine pipe, breaching bail and stealing.

The police prosecutor told the court Price stole a two-way radio from the foyer of Ace Cinemas Rockingham on October 13.

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Price used his Ace Cinema membership card to buy his movie tickets, which enabled cinema staff members to identify him.

When Price was arrested he told police he “thought it would be funny”.

On October 9, Price was at Big W in Mandurah, when he spotted a red Tapout shirt.

He ducked into an area where he would not be seen and removed the price tag from the shirt then pulled the shirt over his clothes and walked out of the shopping centre.

When Price was caught he told police he could not be bothered lining up.

On December 10, Price entered Chemart Pharmacy with a shopping trolley, selected a child’s booster seat and put it in the trolley.

He walked out of the store with the seat, which was later retrieved by a staff member.

On June 29, Price, who has no licence, was spotted by police driving on Park Road.

Police performed a U-turn and followed Price, who drove at speed and at times on the wrong side of the road to avoid them.

During the chase, Price drove around the wrong side of a roundabout, ignored a stop sign and mounted a centre island, causing his car to drive sideways.

Police ended their pursuit but later spotted Price’s car at a house on Gordon Road and spotted the accused running away.

On August 3 at 11am, Price was driving in Secret Harbour, and when police spotted him Price evaded pursuit.

He drove at speeds of 150km/h on Bluestone Parkway which is a 50km/h zone; Price also headed south on Mandurah Road in the northbound lane.

Police abandoned the pursuit for safety reasons.

On September 17, Price was the passenger in a car that was pulled over by police and when they searched the car they found a glass pipe with traces of methamphetamine on it.

Price admitted it was his.

His licence was suspended on March 12, 2014 and he is currently subject to 18 outstanding fine suspensions.

The driving offences in June and August were his seventh and eighth for the purposes of sentencing.

Counsel for the accused said Price exhibited a certain level of immaturity since he said one of his offences was “funny”.

Counsel said Price had some hearing loss and did not hear the police sirens initially.

“He panicked and thought if he was caught he would not see his family again,” counsel said.

“He is a young man with prospects for rehabilitation.”

Magistrate Vivien Edwards said she would put off sentencing until Monday, due to a long court list and the significant number of offences Price had committed.