A Perth man who broke into an army depot in Western Australia’s north, remained on the premises for two days and impersonated a high-ranking official has been sentenced to 21 months in prison.
On Friday, the Kununurra District court heard Reece Joshua Sturgeon broke into the North West Mobile Force (NORFORCE) depot on the outskirts of the Kimberley town at the end of February.
The 42-year-old accessed a lock box, removed the key and used it to enter the admin building.
Sturgeon remained on the premises for two days and, during that time, moved a vehicle to a wash bay, took a uniform, ate in the kitchen and even drank a small quantity of rum.
When an Australian Defence Force member returned to the depot, Sturgeon, who was wearing a uniform, introduced himself as a field marshal and told them he was “on a special mission”.
The NORFORCE depot is located on the outskirts of Kununurra, in WA’s East Kimberley. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
Previous manslaughter conviction
Sturgeon, who was on bail at the time, first appeared in Kununurra’s Magistrate Court on March 1 and represented himself, saying the advice he received from Legal Aid “wasn’t good”.
On that occasion, Sturgeon entered a guilty plea to five charges, three of which were subsequently discontinued.
Sturgeon’s criminal history meant that, without exceptional circumstances, he was denied bail and has spent the past seven-and-a-half months in jail.
In 2006, he was found guilty of manslaughter after running down a group of teenagers walking along Scarborough beach in Perth, killing 17-year-old Yuan Zheng Feng.
His offending returned to the spotlight in 2020 when he faced court in Perth dressed as the the comic book villain “The Joker” after spray painting a CCTV camera as part of a “street performance”.
Reece Sturgeon speaks to media outside court in Perth after an appearance in 2021. (Nine News)
A ‘bizarre’ crime
Addressing the court via video link, Sturgeon’s lawyer Justine Fisher explained her client claimed he walked from Broome to Kununurra with his beloved pregnant dog while on a “spiritual journey”.
She said Sturgeon was looking at an outcrop of rocks that had “significance” when, caught in torrential rain, he decided to take shelter in the army depot.
Ms Fisher told the court the 42-year-old had difficulties with authority and “seems to get himself into trouble quite spontaneously”.
She explained Sturgeon had “somewhat unconventional and unorthodox views”, but had not been diagnosed with or hospitalised for mental health conditions, and no psychological report was presented.
The lawyer said nothing was taken from the premises and Sturgeon’s intention was to speak to the depot personnel about “goals and sustainability”.
Ms Fisher added Sturgeon showed remorse and intended to move back to Perth to live with his mother or father.
Reece Joshua Sturgeon was sentenced to 21 months’ jail. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
Judge Alan Troy stated the facts were “somewhat bizarre” and asked how Sturgeon managed to enter the correct PIN to the lock box, observing there must have been “sophistication at play”.
The judge said the community was the real victim and there was a need for general deterrence, to protect military sites, and for personal deterrence, given Sturgeon’s criminal record.
Sturgeon was sentenced to 21 months in prison, backdated to February 29, for burglary and stealing a motor vehicle.
He will be eligible for parole in 10 months.
