Meth user jailed over Geraldton motorcycle shop ‘ram-raid’

A man who “ram-raided” a Webberton motorcycle repair shop with a stolen ute has been jailed for 16 months. Tyron James Ryder, 28, was sentenced in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court on February 10 for 16 offences, including three burglaries and four counts of stealing a motor vehicle. The court was told Ryder and another offender targeted Rev Motorcycles about 3.50am on November 11, 2018. They attached a strap to the front door of the business and the back of a Toyota Hilux, then accelerated heavily, ripping the door off and causing $5000 damage. The pair made off with two small motorcycles. Forensic evidence and CCTV footage led to their arrests. The court was also told how on July 25 last year, Ryder broke into a room at The Broadwater Mariner Resort and ransacked it while a tourist from Hong Kong slept. She woke to find nearly $2000 worth of her belongings, including a passport, two iPhones, watches and a backpack, had been stolen. None of the items were recovered. In early December 2018, Ryder stole a Toyota Corolla and a $2000 Honda motorbike, which he admitted selling for $300. On September 17 last year, he broke into the Main Roads building in Wonthella and stole a laptop, headphones and other items worth $1000. Lawyer Fiona Hugo said Ryder came from a “deprived background” and most of his offending displayed “criminal ineptitude”. “He’s leaving his fingerprints all over Geraldton,” she said, adding Ryder was a methamphetamine user whose offending was born out of “blind desperation”. “She (Ryder’s mother) has told me that when he’s under the influence of meth, she can’t connect with him. It’s like his eyes are blank.” Magistrate Chris Miocevich imposed a sentence of 12 months jail for the ram-raid and a four-month cumulative sentence for the hotel burglary. For the remaining offences, Ryder received seven months jail, to be served concurrently, and fines totalling $350.