Brass bandit avoids jail sentence after nicking metal worth $3500 from park benches

Jai Liam Glover, 41, leaves Canberra court on an earlier occasion. Photo: Albert McKnight.

A serial criminal avoided being sent back to jail when he was sentenced for stealing brass valued at $3500 off benches in a public park that runs along Canberra’s central lake.

Jai Liam Glover, now 41, went to Henry Rolland Park in Acton, next to Lake Burley Griffin, at about 9 pm on 26 September 2020.

Magistrate James Lawton told the ACT Magistrate Court that over a number of hours the Kambah man “slowly” removed a number of brass fixtures and fittings from the recently-opened park.

Court documents say the theft was discovered by a maintenance crew a couple of days later and police discovered the crime was captured on closed-circuit television footage.

The brass, which the court heard had an agreed value of $3500, has not been recovered.

Magistrate Lawton said the theft took place about a year after Glover was released from custody after the last time he was sentenced to jail – coincidentally by the magistrate himself.

Glover’s lawyer, Mr Rutzou from Legal Aid, said Glover was a full-time carer for his mother and there seemed to be evidence that he was heading towards rehabilitation.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Wren said while the value of the brass was not significant, it did cost the ACT Government to replace the stolen metal.

She also said it appeared Glover had cared for his mother since 2018 so this had not prevented his offending and he had been sent to jail before.

Glover, who pleaded guilty to theft as well as driving-related charges, spent 15 days in custody after he was arrested.

Magistrate Lawton said as Glover’s criminal history was extensive it afforded him little leniency and both sets of offences called for jail time, but the question was how that could be served.

He said the theft was not sophisticated, although it was a concerted action, and Glover had ongoing substance abuse issues.

Glover was convicted and sentenced to 10 months’ jail from Wednesday to be served via an intensive corrections order, which is a community-based sentence.