An Albury crook has walked straight out of court minutes after being given 14 days’ jail, ignoring a magistrate’s warning he was about to become an escapee.
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Matthew Joseph Wishart now faces a far more onerous penalty for clearing off from Albury Local Court on Monday morning.
The 21-year-old had been directed to sit on a seat immediately adjacent to the courtroom dock to await his jailers.
But within a few minutes Wishart stood, turned and walked quickly out of court.
Corrective Services officers had not even had the time to enter court to take him to the cells, such was the haste with which he left.
“I wouldn’t be going, it’s escape,” magistrate Darryl Pearce called out as Wishart reached the door.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Coombs and another officer immediately pursued Wishart, but he was already out of the building.
Earlier, the man with a “lengthy criminal history” had tried to put his case as to why he should not be imprisoned.
But all he got out was “if I go to jail” before he was cut off by Mr Pearce.
“You’re already going to jail,” he told Wishart.
Wishart pleaded guilty to a single count of contravening an apprehended violence order, but was clearly taken aback when given the 14-day sentence.
The court heard that Wishart had committed the crime on the same day he was released from jail.
And in both cases the victim was the same person – his brother’s partner.
“I was just worried about him,” Wishart explained, trying to justify why he breached the order by texting and phoning his victim.
He tried to argue that his brother was having some issues, including with his use of alcohol.
But an unimpressed Mr Pearce asked why he should not just go back to jail.
“I’m better off now sir. I’ve got a place. I was just worried about my brother.”
Mr Pearce told Wishart he should have contacted police if he was so concerned.
“You see, these orders are supposed to be obeyed.”
Mr Pearce said he found it hard to believe Wishart could have tried to contact the victim on the very day he was released on October 6.
She had the number for the unanswered calls and texts in her contact book, listed under the name “Matty Wishart”.
The victim obtained the order on April 19 against Wishart, who was jailed a couple of months later for three months for offences against the woman.
