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Mandurah: man pleads guilty to string of offences after being caught riding stolen motorbike

Staff WriterMandurah Coastal Times

A MAN who paid $500 for a stolen motorbike worth $3000 claimed he only bought the bike because he could resell it to pay Family Court costs.

Joshua Shane Wallbank pleaded guilty to a string of offences in Mandurah Magistrates Court last Friday (January 19) including breach of bail, burglary and commit, driving with false number plates, no authority to drive due to an incorrect license class, possession of stolen property and stealing.

Police stopped Wallbank riding the Kawasaki Ninja motorbike on Gordon Road, Mandurah on the night of October 27.

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He was found to have an incorrect class of licence and false number plates.

The police prosecutor told the court Wallbank told the officers he “bought it for $500 from a person recently”.

During the same court appearance, the police prosecutor said Wallbank had breached bail on October 22 and also stolen copper cable and pipe valued at $1000 after breaking into a display home in Pinjarra on October 24 or 25.

Police found blood at the Pinjarra site and through DNA testing matched it to Wallbank.

Wallbank’s lawyer said the burglary and motorbike incident were due to Wallbank’s family court proceedings and he had intended to sell the stolen goods and motorbike to pay court costs.

The lawyer described the breach of bail charge as an irresponsible, but unintentional act caused by Wallbank mixing up the dates of Family Court appearances.

Magistrate Anne Longden said she was sceptical of Wallbank’s reasoning for the burglary, stealing and motorbike possession.

She imposed a nine-month supervision community-based order for the possession of the stolen motorbike and the burglary and commit offences.

Magistrate Longden said there would be no further sentencing for the stealing offence but she fined Wallbank $500 for the breach of bail, incorrect license class and driving with a false number plate.

She said Wallbank should return the bike to its owner and pay $1000 in restitution costs.

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