Lachlan Kilgallon attempted a ‘brazen’ robbery at a service station

Fuelled by a cocktail of drugs, a man’s brazen plan to hold up a service station at knifepoint came undone because the employee thought it was a joke.

The lawyer of a teenager who thrust a knife at a service station employee when she denied his requests for money said the victim thought it was a joke.

Lachlan Harrison Kilgallon, 19, was under the influence of a cocktail of drugs when he attempted the brazen robbery.

The Adelaide District Court heard Kilgallon attended a Woodville North service station on January 26.

“He states … that the crime was not planned or thought out and he had no memory of the crime or previous night and morning of,” a prosecutor said.

“The accused, having consumed a cocktail of illicit and prescription drugs as well as alcohol, formed the intention to steal money from his local service station because he couldn’t find the cash he thought he had.

“This was not the case where the accused intended a surreptitious theft, there was actual violence involved.”

The court heard when the attendant refused to hand over cash, Kilgallon reached underneath the Covid-safe screen and thrust the knife in her direction.

“After further demands for cash were refused he lunged and stabbed in the direction of the counter, damaging a screen,” the prosecutor said.

“It is most fortunate that the Covid-safe screen was multipurpose and seemed to have protected (the victim) from physical injury.

“The only reason the robbery was not completed was because (the victim) did not comply with the demands.”

The court heard Kilgallon said in a statement “I decided I was angry so I decided to go to the kitchen to grab a knife, put it in my pocket … pointed the knife at her and then nothing happened.

“Then I just started smashing a few things in the store.”

The prosecutor said while it wasn’t the most sophisticated robbery, the fact Kilgallon brought a knife with him indicated some level of pre-planning.

“This offending was brazen, it was stupid,” the prosecutor said.

Lachlan Kilgallon attempted a violent robbery at a Woodville North service station. Picture: Facebook

Kilgallon, of St Clair, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery by using force.

Caroline Tassone, for Kilgallon, told the court the victim did not take the attempted robbery seriously.

“The customer service attendant thought it was a joke, told him or swore at him dismissively, as if mocking him and just thought it was a complete joke,” she said.

Judge Anthony Allen said while that may have initially been the case, the situation escalated “pretty quickly and spectacularly” after that.

“It might be that she thought it was a joke because there’s no disguise and the state he might have been in but I’m sure the humour was removed from the situation when he started trying to strike with the knife,” he said.

“This must have been absolutely terrifying for those that were at work going about their business and they can expect to be protected.”.

Kilgallon will next appear in court in June.