The man who defaced murder victim Eurydice Dixon’s memorial has been sentenced to jail after breaching his community corrections order.
Andrew Nolch initially avoided jail for the criminal damage, offensive behaviour and offensive graffiti charges back in 2018, instead being given an 18-month community-based order after a guilty plea. However, after faking illness with his corrections officer to travel overseas, Nolch has been sentenced to 5 months in jail.
The 31-year-old allegedly travelled overseas to Asia on two separate occasions without seeking the permission of his parole officer, therefore breaching the conditions of his order.
Back in 2019, Nolch allegedly told corrections officers he was moving house, while actually on holidays in the Philippines, 9News reports. Since then, he has failed to attend a number of community service appointments and again lied about his whereabouts, claiming he was sick when he was actually in Thailand.
In court on Thursday, Andrew’s lawyer argued that it was a case of “mere stupidity” and that he was simply unaware that the conditions of the order prohibited him from leaving the state of Victoria.
However, County Court Judge Susan Pullen refuted this argument, asserting that “he’s not stupid” before replaying an 11-minute clip of the original sentence hearing, in which she clearly outlined every condition of the order.
“What part was not clear? I warned him,” Judge Pullen said.
Nolch is still required to pay the $19,500 compensation order that was imposed, but will now also serve 5 months in prison. Additionally, he has been charged with driving while disqualified, as well as drug importation and possession, 9 News reports.
