Hospital bomb hoaxer jailed for armed robbery spree

A man who previously threatened to blow up a hospital with a fake bomb strapped to his chest has been jailed for a four-day “rampage” of armed hold-ups.

Wayne Francis Wright, 49, faced Brisbane District Court on Thursday for sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of armed robbery.

The crown prosecutor told Judge Ian Dearden that Wright had a criminal record dating back to 1993 in Queensland and the Northern Territory that included burglary, armed robbery, vehicle theft and the 2019 bomb hoax.

Wright’s past crimes include a hospital bomb hoax and armed robberies.Credit: QPS

“He was admitted to a psychiatric ward,” the prosecutor said.

“When he was advised he could not leave, he made threats to take out the five surrounding blocks and had a black plastic device with wires and buttons strapped to his chest.”

Wright’s latest charges involved him demanding cash from a service station, tobacconist and Subway fast food outlet in the inner Brisbane suburbs of Milton and Annerley in April and May 2023.

“He wore sunglasses with surgical masks or a helmet. He lifted his shirt to show what appeared to be a gun,” the prosecutor said.

“He threatened to shoot if not given cash.”

Wright’s robberies, committed while on parole for similar offences, netted him $650 and cigarettes.

After his arrest he made extensive admissions to police, who found a gel blaster imitation firearm at his home.

Defence barrister Gregory McGuire said Wright had a “tragic personal history” and had committed amateurish robberies during a mental health episode that were certain to lead to a quick arrest.

“The nature of the offending shows the completely dysfunctional state he was in,” McGuire said.

He said Wright told police that a reaction to abuse suffered in childhood had “sent me on a railroad to carnage”.

“[He] had not taken his anti-psychotic medication for two or three weeks and told police he ‘went on a rampage’,” McGuire said.

“Sadly, he said he was looking forward to going home, by which he meant jail.”

Wright told Dearden he was sorry for the workers and customers affected by his robberies.

“I just want to apologise to the community of Brisbane for once again messing up,” he said.

The judge told Wright he needed to stick with his medication and strategy that had seen him rejoin the workforce.

“When the wheels came off the cart, you scared the living daylights out of people. They had no way of knowing if you have a real gun,” Dearden said.

Wright was sentenced to 3½ years’ imprisonment that was cumulative on the seven-year sentence he had been serving on parole.

He will be eligible to seek parole in September due to time served.

AAP