Caleb Kenneth Allen: Geraldton man spared jail for brazen shopping centre assault and Utakarra burglary

A serial Geraldton offender has avoided jail for a brazen assault inside Kmart that saw him slap a woman on the bottom, as well as a home burglary.

Caleb Kenneth Allen appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing on one count of common assault, aggravated home burglary and stealing. He is also facing charges of obstruct and assault public officers.

Allen was jailed for 13 months last year over his role in a 2019 fire which burnt 500sqm of bush and threatened homes in Beachlands.

He was also sentenced to an eight-month community-based order and fined $800 in the Magistrates Court for starting a fire in Chapman Valley and breaking into a vacant building during a methamphetamine-induced crime spree.

In regards to his latest offending, prosecutor Sergeant Beau Jones told the court on Monday that Allen was heavily intoxicated at Northgate Shopping Centre on July 31 last year when he entered Kmart, followed a woman before smacking her on the bottom.

The 26-year-old then left the store, collapsed out the front of the shopping centre and was taken to Geraldton Regional Hospital.

Sgt Jones said Allen appeared remorseful on body worn camera taken from his arrest.

On January 10 this year, Allen stole a number of items including a sex toy and porn magazines during a aggravated home burglary in Utakarra.

Magistrate Angus Hockton said the home burglary was particularly serious and carried with it a maximum term of three years imprisonment.

He highlighted that Allen’s offending appeared to be connected with his use of methamphetamine.

The court heard Allen had been working on his family farm and Mr Hockton said that was a positive factor, giving him a “supportive and caring environment” to recover from drug use.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, Allen was sentenced to a 12-month suspended imprisonment order and ordered to pay $600 in compensation for the stealing.

While for the common assault he was handed an eight-month community-based order.