Nathan James Hopgood and Beau Scorgie jailed following Windsor Hotel and Reepham Hotel hold ups

A bumbling attempt by a meth-fuelled robber to hold up two pubs in the same night came undone after he and his accomplice were chased out of the second venue by a group of diners.

The two bandits were chased out of the Reepham Hotel by a group of diners. Picture: iStock

A meth-inspired attempt to hold up two pubs in the same night came undone for a bumbling robber after his fake gun was exposed by a group of diners, who chased him and his accomplice out of the second venue empty-handed.

In the Adelaide District Court, Nathan James Hopgood, 39, and Beau Scorgie, 49, both pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery over the bizarre incident on July 18, 2021.

The court heard Hopgood kicked off the crime spree solo when he used a fake pistol to steal $770 from a cashier at the Windsor Hotel in Windsor Gardens at about 6.35pm.

After fleeing in a Nissan Pulsar getaway car, Hopgood then recruited Scorgie, his cousin, for the second attempted hold up at the Reepham Hotel at Prospect almost two hours later.

At about 8.20pm, the pair entered the hotel with Hopgood dressed in the same distinctive black hoodie he wore to the first robbery and Scrogie wearing a gas mask.

The Reepham Hotel in Prospect. Picture: Supplied

Judge Paul Muscat said after unsuccessful attempts to open a cashier’s till and steal a patron’s winnings from a pokie machine, the attempted robbery went from bad to worse for the hapless pair.

“Members of a family who were having a meal at the hotel approached and challenged you (Hopgood) after which you pointed the imitation pistol at them,” Judge Muscat said.

“They believed it was an imitation firearm. They then confronted you armed with furniture and both you and Scorgie ran out of the hotel empty-handed.

“On your way out Scorgie attempted (unsuccessfully) to steal the handbag of another patron who was fleeing the hotel in fear.”

The court heard the pair were pursued outside by the family who confronted them inside the hotel, before making a narrow escape to a waiting getaway car.

However one of the family members caused the passenger side mirror to dislodge while attempting to open the door of the vehicle, a piece of evidence which would lead to the pair’s downfall.

About an hour later, police responded to a report that two men were disposing of items in nearby Brompton, locating the distinctive hoodie Hopgood wore during the robberies and a gas mask similar to the one worn by Scorgie.

Police arrested the pair in a nearby home with the white Nissan Pulsar getaway car parked in the driveway, complete with damaged mirror and the green hoodie worn by Scorgie during the attempted robbery inside.

The Windsor Hotel on North East Road, Windsor Gardens. Picture: Chris Walls

Judge Muscat said the offences were committed “in a haze of a methylamphetamine bender”.

“You were essentially caught red-handed by the police,” he said.

In addition to the attempted robbery charges, Hopgood also pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery over the Windsor Hotel hold-up, while Scorgie pleaded guilty to another count of attempted robbery for trying to steal the handbag while fleeing the Reepham Hotel.

The court heard the pair both had lengthy criminal histories, with Hopgood breaching two good behaviour bonds by committing the crimes and Scorgie breaching one.

Judge Muscat sentenced Hopegood to nine years in jail with a non-parole period of five-and-a-half years, while Scorgie received four years and five months in prison with a non-parole period of two years and two months.