By DANE LILLINGSTONE
A 19-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment over the robbery of a service station in Warwick earlier this year.
The man had pleaded guilty immediately after being caught and was facing sentencing for one count of armed robbery and another charge for possessing a glass pipe.
Warwick District Court heard that on 17 April this year, the man entered the service station at 8.10pm on a Friday night wearing a black hoodie and black mask.
He then produced a knife with a 20-centimetre blade and started waving it at the attendant and saying “give me the cash.”
The Toowoomba born man had only been in Warwick a few weeks when he committed the offence. He produced a pillow case for the money, and is believed to have then received around $600 from the attendant.
The 24-year-old service station attendant was alone in the store at the time and reported seeing a man dressed in black entering the store who then produced a knife with a 10-centimetre handle and a 20-centimetre blade.
After putting the money in the pillowcase the man left and the attendant pushed the panic button.
At 8.15pm, two police officers intercepted the man after being only 300 metres away from the incident. Upon being interviewed he admitted his guilt.
He said he was going to Stanthorpe and needed the money but the court also heard it may have been because of drug dealers wanting to collect their debt.
It was noted in the court that he had no previous criminal record but had been using the drug ice.
Upon handing down his sentence Judge Butler noted that the case “is a particularly concerning one” and said to the man “(you) clearly had thought about what you were going to do.”
It was said that because the service station was providing a service to people after hours, it was a vulnerable target and had to be protected.
“It’s an offence to our community,” Judge Butler said.
“These employees must be protected.”
He was sentenced to a total of three years’ imprisonment with 123 days counting as time already served for armed robbery and received no further punishment for the drug utensil.
He will be eligible for parole after six months served.
