Jackson Wood, Stephen Tucker and Grace Whitcomb sentenced over hostage bashing and theft
Two men have been locked up for holding a man hostage, beating and robbing him, while a woman has been spared jail for her role in the crime.
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Two men — one of whom jumped the dock when he was found guilty at an earlier hearing — have been jailed for an “intimidating and thuggish” baseball bat bashing of a man who was held hostage.
A woman has been spared jail for her role in the crime.
Jackson Scott Wood, 25, was crash tackled by five sheriffs officers in May this year moments after a District Court jury found him guilty of charges including false imprisonment, aggravated causing harm with intent and aggravated robbery.
He was sentenced on Tuesday alongside co-accused Stephen James Tucker, 36, who was found guilty of false imprisonment, aggravated serious criminal trespass and aggravated robbery and Grace Bernadette Whitcomb, who pleaded guilty to an aggravated count of serious criminal trespass and theft.
In sentencing, Judge Wayne Chivell said Wood and Tucker were at Whitcomb’s home on May 28, 2017, where they held the victim hostage and beat him.
“While at Ms Whitcomb’s house you, Wood, beat (the victim) to the head and got him with a baseball bat, causing him various injuries,” he said.
He said Whitcomb played no part in that offending but later went with Wood and Tucker to the victim’s house.
Judge Chivell said the men, while armed with baseball bats, again falsely imprisoned the victim before stealing his personal belongings including a toolbox, tools, a television, wallet, laptop and gold chains.
They also stole his partner’s personal bank card.
Judge Chivell said the victims had suffered fear, anxiety, humiliation and depression due to the offending.
Judge Chivell said Wood, upon being found guilty on May 23 this year, “vaulted over the screen and out of the dock and ran across the courtroom until you were tackled by sheriffs officers”.
He said it was “most surprising and disturbing” that police had not charged Wood with an offence over the incident.
“It was a serious breach of court security,” he said.
Judge Chivell said he must impose sentences which would deter others from similar “intimidating and thuggish” offending.
He jailed Tucker for five years with a non-parole period of three years and Wood for five years and six months with a non-parole period of three years and three months.
Judge Chivell suspended a jail term imposed on Whitcomb of one year and nine months in favour of a three-year good behaviour bond.
He ordered the mother of an 11-month-old to complete 100 hours of community service as part of that bond.