Passenger bribed by alcohol
A MAN who accepted a ride in a stolen vehicle, which was also used in a ram raid earlier that night, was lured by the promise of alcohol.
Arthur Thomas Hippi was invited inside the stolen BMW on January 29, shortly after the vehicle ploughed through the doors of a Warwick bottle shop and was filled with alcohol bottles.
Defence lawyer Daniel Habermann yesterday told the court his client - who he said "presented as an alcoholic" - knew the car was stolen but got in at the promise of three bottles of bourbon.
"When a ride in a flash BMW presented, he accepted the ride and the serendipity of having some alcohol to drink," he said.
Mr Habermann said there were about 30 stolen bottles among the booty.
The men involved in the incident drove the car to Boggabilla and much of the evidence was consumed.
In a separate incident on December 13, Hippi was found to be producing two marijuana plants at his Warwick home.
The 30-year-old was sentenced to six months jail, wholly suspended for a period of 12 months.
