New details revealed: Toowoomba man Robert Brown stalked before senseless killing during teen robbery at Grand Central
Disturbing new details on the moments before the killing of “deliberately targeted” youth crime victim Robert Brown at a Queensland shopping centre were revealed as the teen responsible faced the first stage of sentencing.
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Chilling footage of an elderly Toowoomba man’s death was shown in court during the sentencing hearing of the juvenile who killed him, revealing the “frail” man was stalked for several minutes before being robbed.
Retiree Robert Brown, 75, was waiting at a taxi rank with a backpack resting on the ground at his feet when he was targeted by a group of opportunistic teenagers exiting Grand Centre Shopping Centre on February 6, 2023.
It was a crime that horrified the Toowoomba community and sparked a statewide crime campaign demanding the state government prioritise the complex issue surrounding juvenile offending.
A year after Mr Brown’s death, the then 17-year-old boy who fatally pushed him and stole his bag pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violent robbery, and using a stolen car to commit a crime.
During the 18-year-old’s sentence hearing before the Toowoomba Supreme Court on Friday, April 27, new details on the events leading up to the violent robbery were revealed.
Security asked teens to leave shop minutes before robbery
Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald said the crime was committed out of “greed, not need” and the aged care resident was targeted because he was alone, frail, and “might” have had something of value in his bag.
However, inside was a small blue camera and a recently purchased Valentine’s Day card.
The court heard about 20 minutes before Mr Brown was pushed, three teens were illegally parked and loitering on the top floor of the shopping centre before a security guard asked them to leave.
The car was stolen from Dalby three days prior, and the young man was not connected to its theft.
He was in the passenger seat of the car being driven by an 18-year-old man while a 16-year-old boy was sitting in the back seat.
The trio saw Mr Brown waiting at the Taxi rank as they exited the carpark before haphazardly doubling back and stopping in the middle of the road where the teen then exited the car.
Teen anxiously stalked victim before fatal “snatch and grab”
Security camera footage played in court showed the young man hiding behind a garden bed before walking up to Mr Brown who had his back to the teen.
The teen was seen twice approaching within touching distance of Mr Brown, before backing away.
The teen paced around behind Mr Brown for at least three minutes, while looking back at his co-offenders who were waiting nearby in a loading bay on Dent St.
Justice Martin Burns said it appeared the young man was working up the courage to grab the bag.
Ms Friedewald said when a taxi approached the teen acted, and a completely unaware and defenceless Mr Brown was pushed from behind falling face-first onto the road.
The trio then drove past a motionless Mr Brown while concerned community members rushed to his side, however Ms Friedewald said it was not clear if the teens knew Mr Brown was seriously injured.
The court heard Mr Brown did not have time to brace for the fall, had no pulse when paramedics arrived, and was bleeding from his nose and ears.
On the way to Toowoomba Hospital, his heart began again but little more than a week later, Mr Brown died in hospital.
The court heard it was too difficult for Mr Brown’s family to provide the court with a statement, or attend the proceedings.
The boy behind the violent act
Several members of the young man’s family including his mother, were present in court during the sentence hearing.
Barrister David Jones KC, briefed by McConnell Chelsea Saldumbide Criminal Lawyers, said in the days leading up to the offending the teen ran away from home after being assaulted while trying to break up a violent argument between his parents involving a weapon.
Mr Jones said the teen, who suffered from drug addiction and medical issues, deeply regretted taking refuge at a friend’s house rather than with family.
He said every night the young man was “tormented” by how many ways he could and should have acted differently.
“He spoke about having to… wear on his shoulders that he was responsible for killing a man which (is) perhaps the most serious consequence that he (has) to come to terms with,” he said.
“Holistically his drug use… (is) a main hurdle that will stand between him and rehabilitation.
“Being tormented that he is responsible for killing an elderly man is something he will need a lot of support with to ensure he doesn’t turn to drugs.”
The court heard at 10, the boy was first charged with a minor offence and his criminal history related to property and car offences, none of which included violence nor required him to serve time in detention.
Despite the boy’s largely disadvantaged childhood, which legally ended after he took Mr Brown’s life, his legal team did not go into the details of their submissions, nor their penalty submissions.
However, it was unanimously agreed upon that it was a serious case with a detrimental impact on not only Mr Brown and his family but also the community who witnessed the brazen public act and tried to revive him.
Penalty consideration under the Youth Justice Act
The court heard the maximum penalty was a 10-year jail term with 70 per cent of the term to be served behind bars.
However, the young man will not know his fate until he is sentenced is handed down on Monday, May 27.
Prosecutor Friedewald submitted to the court the teen be sentenced to a seven-year jail term with 70 per cent be served in jail.
She said the mitigating factors in the case included the teen’s genuine remorse, admissions and co-operation with police, having a minor and unrelated criminal history, and that he entered an early guilty plea.
However, she said there were also aggravating features, such as he did not hand himself into the police and there was no reason to push Mr Brown to get his bag.
“The vulnerability of Mr Brown is one of the most aggravating features of this matter,” she said.
“He was an elderly, frail man on his own and was deliberately targeted.”
Prosecutor Friedewald added the hesitation shown by the teen “cut both ways” because it indicated he knew what he was doing was wrong and despite taking his time, he pushed Mr Brown and “callously sprinted away”.
Barrister Jones said the young man had an intellectual difficulty and would be one of Queensland’s youngest inmates if he were to be transferred to an adult prison, and submitted exceptional circumstances could be taken into account to keep him in juvenile detention.
“This is a difficult sentence for this court,” he said.
“He’s shown sincere remorse and he is still young, (and) of course when that’s balanced against his background that many don’t appreciate still occurs for children in Australia… there are many things that were against (him) at that time.”
However, Justice Burns said the harsh reality was the soon-to-be 19-year-old may be sentenced to time in adult prison which was “radically different” from the support proved by youth justice.
Justice Burns adjourned his sentence for deliberation and the young man was remanded in custody.
The court heard two other young men charged over Mr Brown’s death, who still have their cases before the courts, may be going to trial.
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