A man who used a sledgehammer to smash his way into the Canberra Yacht Club to steal an empty safe has managed to turn his life around and will spend no more time in prison.
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Dylan Ross, 22, and a co-offender used the hammer to break through a glass door to the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club in Yarralumla in March 2011.
Once inside, they stole a safe.
But, as Supreme Court Justice Hilary Penfold noted on Tuesday, the pair made a mistake.
"The safe was not only empty but was of no value itself," Justice Penfold said.
Ross was eventually arrested and brought before the courts charged with aggravated burglary and theft.
The Supreme Court deferred sentencing the 22-year-old in November last year, giving him a chance to rehabilitate and stay away from drugs.
His early efforts were successful, with a one month period at a rehabilitation farm helping him make progress.
But that all came undone about four days before he was due to come back before court in the ACT.
He met with an old friend who was a known ice user.
Thinking he could resist the temptation, he went to the friend's house.
"But sadly, and probably predictably, he was not able to resist," Justice Penfold said.
His mother, who he was living with, kicked him out of the house when he retuned home, obviously affected by drugs.
Ross went to live with an ex-girlfriend, who was also a drug user.
Police arrested him on the morning of his court appearance, finding him in possession of drugs and needles.
He was held in prison for two weeks, before being bailed again to the rehabilitation farm.
This time, his progress was substantially stronger.
He completed the program at the farm, and stayed with his father in Harden to keep away from Canberra and its negative influences.
He is working, has returned clean urine results, and the rehabilitation farm noted he now has the confidence to say no to drugs.
Ross has also undertaken a strict fitness regime, and even inspired his father to quit smoking.
Justice Penfold said he had made good use of the time he was given to turn his life around.
She suspended the remainder of his 18 month prison sentence on the condition that he be of good behaviour for the next two years.
In sentencing Ross, Justice Penfold said she "hadn't quite finished with you yet".
She said she suspected it would be tough for him for a while, and said she "really hoped" he could stay away from drugs this time.
Ross was also ordered to pay $135 for the broken glass.
