Jewellery thief jailed over CastleTown robbery

A DRUG addict who robbed a CastleTown jewellery store in broad daylight and was tackled by a bystander moments later has been jailed.

Mathew John Sands. Photo: Facebook.

A DRUG addict who robbed a CastleTown jewellery store in broad daylight and was tackled by a bystander moments later has been jailed.

Mathew John Sands, 27, faced Townsville District Court on Wednesday to be sentenced over the January 14 robbery at Wallace Bishop and other stealing offences in Townsville shopping centres.

Before the sentence began Sand spoke from the dock, saying “I’m sorry for what I done”.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said during the robbery Sands took just under $9000 worth of items and used physical force upon a female shop attendant.

“In my submission it’s unsophisticated, there was no weapon, there was no disguise,” he said.

“It was in broad daylight, there were a lot of people around, which is evident by the fact that he was crash tackled shortly after leaving the shop and therefore there was no loss to the shop.

“And its clumsiness is typified perhaps by the fact that he did hand over his licence and then demanded it back once he formed the intention to steal the items.”

Sands was also charged over stealing perfume from Priceline at The Willows Shopping Centre and sunglasses from Sunglass Hut at Stockland Shopping Centre in the days prior to the robbery.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said Sands, a father of four, was “a drug-addicted man”.

“It’s unfortunate that he got involved physically with the store worker on this occasion,” he said.

Mr Walters said Sands’ drug use had led to the January offences.

“He instructs me Your Honour that he has obtained help in prison,” he said.

“He has been put down to complete a drug and alcohol and parenting course.

“He realises that he’s got to support a partner and young children and he wants to try and support them as best as he can when he’s released from prison.”

Chief Judge Kerry O’Brien sentenced Sands to three years’ imprisonment for robbery with actual violence and 12 months’ each for three counts of stealing.

He will be eligible for parole on January 14, 2019, having already served eight months days in pre-sentence custody.

Originally published as Jewellery thief jailed over CastleTown robbery