A MAN who damaged the screen of an automated teller machine after he was frustrated by not being able to withdraw money learnt a costly lesson when was ordered to pay the bank almost $8000 in compensation.
The 19 year old appeared in Mount Gambier Magistrates Court charged with damaging a building, along with separate theft offences.
Ahead of hearing the allegations, Magistrate Teresa Anderson said the teen, who had been placed on a good behaviour bond following a property damage offence, left court without signing the bond.
She re-sentenced him for the offending and he was ordered to undertake 40 hours of community service within three months.
On the fresh charges, the court heard in October 2017 a bottle shop employee noticed the defendant and another male leave the store without making a purchase.
He reviewed the store’s security footage and saw the defendant tuck a bottle of Jeramiah Weed Bourbon underneath his jumper.
The witness printed out a picture from the video and provided it to police.
The court heard on November 1, 2017, a bank employee discovered an ATM had been destroyed, with damage to the screen rendering the teller machine unusable.
Security footage showed the defendant causing the damage.
When approached by police, the defendant said he stole the bourbon as his friend wanted the bottle.
In relation to the property damage offence, he said he was “frustrated” he was unable to withdraw his money.
He was ordered to pay compensation of $50 to the store and $7839 to the bank for the damaged ATM and undertake an additional 60 hours of community service for the fresh offending.
Court costs were omitted, but the defendant was ordered to pay $580 for prosecution costs and the Victims of Crime Levy.
