AN UNATTENDED rural property was targeted by thieves for its guns and ammunition and a host of other valuables in November 2020.
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Melbourne County Court Judge Paul Lacava said the crime appeared to have been committed mainly for money to buy drugs.
On Tuesday morning he sentenced former plasterer, 30-year-old Bendigo man Jackson Paul Hilson to three years in prison with a two-year non parole period for his part in the burglary.
The court was told the crime had been masterminded by another man, whose case was being dealt with separately by the court.
Hilson had earlier pleaded guilty to three charges including burglary with intent to steal and theft from the rural property at Charlton.
The co-offender had kept the guns and ammunition and Hilson had retained a stolen Nissan Navara.
The court was told that police had stopped Hilson while he was driving the vehicle a few days after the burglary and he denied knowing it was stolen.
Judge Lacava said Hilson had a significant criminal history.
"It's aggravated somewhat because it happened so soon after you had been released from prison," he said.
The court was told that Hilson's friends had collected him upon his release from prison less than two weeks beforehand, with drugs ready for him to consume immediately.
Judge Lacava said he understood that Hilson had started using cannabis as a teenager and had progressed to ecstasy and eventually developed an ice habit.
"Your path to drug addiction is a well-worn one," he said.
"Regrettably, this court has before it many offenders who have progressed to drug addiction down the same path... It helps explain your offending but it does not excuse it."
Judge Lacava said Hilson should have been starting a community corrections order at the time he was carrying out the burglary.
"You have entered a guilty plea," he said
"You have taken responsibility for your crimes. I accept you are remorseful for your conduct."
Judge Lacava said Hilson had spent 591 days in pre-sentence custody and if he had not pleaded guilty he would have been sentenced to five years in jail with a non-parole period of three years.
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