Ryan Hooper avoided jail for robbing a man selling his phone on Facebook at knifepoint

“Do you want to get stabbed or killed for $380?”: A drug addicted professional scooter rider threatened a man selling a phone with a knife before robbing him.

A drug addicted teenager was on a downward spiral when he used a knife to rob a man selling a phone.

Ryan Allan Hooper, 19, avoided jail in the Adelaide District Court last week for using a fake name to lure a man from Facebook.

Ryan Hooper avoided jail in the Adelaide District Court last week for aggravated robbery. Photo: Facebook

The court heard Hooper sent the victim a Facebook message, pretending to be a person named Jeff on January 12.

He asked the victim if the phone he advertised was still available and if he could deliver it to Elizabeth Vale.

The victim arrived and handed Hooper the phone through his car window.

“You then began stepping backwards, the victim asked you what you were doing and told you to give the phone back,” Judge Liesl Chapman said during sentencing.

“You walked back a few more steps and then pulled a knife out from under your jumper.”

The court heard it was a large kitchen knife with a 25cm blade.

“You then started to step towards the victim and at the same time began jabbing the knife forward in a stabbing motion in front of him,” Judge Chapman said.

“You said to him ‘Do you want to get killed or stabbed for $380?’.”

The victim told Hooper to keep the phone and drove off.

He reported the incident to police who tracked Hooper through the phone number he had given the victim.

Police attended Hooper’s Elizabeth Vale house.

“The police located the stolen phone lying on the bed, you were found hiding in a rear rumpus room of the house,” Judge Chapman said.

Hooper, who told police he had never intended to use the knife on the victim, had written him an apology letter saying he hadn’t been in the right state of mind.

“This must have been a very frightening incident for the victim and people who are selling items, in good faith, on Facebook or Gumtree, or any other means, need to feel safe,” Judge Chapman said.

Hooper, of Elizabeth Vale, had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery.

The court heard Hooper turned to drugs after the death of his father and his life spiralled out of control.

Hooper, who is a professional scooter rider and has been recognised as the fourth best in Australia, has since received some psychological help.

Judge Chapman sentenced Hooper to one year and four months jail, with a non-parole period of eight months.

The sentence was suspended on a three year good behaviour bond, with supervision for two years.

Hooper was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service within 12 months.

“Keep on the path that you are on at the moment, stay away from drugs, don’t abuse alcohol,” Judge Chapman said.