By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
BARELY two months after release from prison, a man has been charged with burgling Casey Grammar School and a home, breaking into a car and trying to break into another home in Cranbourne early on 7 February.
During a bail hearing the following day, John Hockhing, 29, denied the home-related offences – aggravated by the residents being home in each case.
According to a police summary handed into Dandenong Magistrates’ Court, Hockhing had been released from jail on 23 December 2015 after serving the full term of a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence.
His “extensive” criminal history included armed robbery, aggravated burglary, recklessly causing injury, handling stolen goods, possessing ice, possessing a dangerous article and failing to answer bail.
During his hearing, he stared at arresting police officer Detective Senior Constable Nicole Spinks of Casey CIU.
From the dock, he asked her: “You f … ing smirking at me?”
Police allege Hockhing admitted to stealing a laptop computer and mobile phones from Casey Grammar School’s main office in Cranbourne East about 6am on 7 February.
The accused had allegedly entered the school through possibly unlocked front doors, and was chased by a security guard about 6.45am.
His girlfriend’s car keys were found on the school grounds; the girlfriend said that Hockhing had borrowed the car overnight, which he had fitted with an allegedly stolen rear number plate.
Sometime that morning, he was accused of rifling through living-room cupboards and kitchen containers, and stealing a canvas bag and personal documents from a home in Childers Street.
He was also accused of unsuccessfully trying to break-in through a bedroom window of a home in Sladen Street.
About 8.30am, a “sweating and agitated” Hockhing allegedly broke into a Toyota Yaris parked on the front lawn of a residence in Cameron Street, about 700 metres from the grammar school.
He allegedly damaged the ignition with a screwdriver in a failed bid to start the car.
Nothing was stolen, but he left behind a canvas sports bag with two stolen phones, school timetables and a scientific calculator believed to be from Casey Grammar, and two power bills from a Cranbourne residence.
At various times during the spree, he was alleged to be wearing a fluro vest, a black T-shirt, a white T-shirt and finally no shirt at all.
A black and a white T-shirt with blood stains was also found in the bag, police claim.
As he fled, Hockhing also allegedly dropped items through Cranbourne such as laptop cords tagged as belonging to Casey Grammar, a stolen phone and paperwork from the school, a stolen laptop and computer bag with two stolen phones from the school.
Hockhing told the court he showed cause for bail by having family support, including a place “up in the bush away from all the drugs and stuff”.
He also had links with an employment agency and a possible drug rehab placement.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen refused bail because of the accused’s “too serious” prior history and recent release from prison.
