John Robert Saunders pleads guilty to attempted armed robbery

A 43 year old man has faced Bundaberg’s District Court three years after he and another man attempted to rob a Maryborough Luxton Pharmacy of medication to feed his addiction.

Saunders and Mann failed in the attempted robbery after the pharmacist pretended not to understand their demands.

A Bundaberg man has plead guilty to attempting to rob a quiet Maryborough Pharmacy while disguising his face and relying on another man to threaten staff and customers.

John Robert Saunders pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted armed robbery in company on Tuesday in the Bundaberg District Court.

The court heard Saunders was battling a lifelong drug addiction when he and co-accused Anthony Scott Patrick Mann walked into Luxton Pharmacy Maryborough with matching white hoodies and disguised faces on November 11, 2020.

The court heard Mann and Saunders made their way behind the counter of the pharmacy, while threatening and encouraging the pharmacist and a staff member to hand over fentanyl medication.

Mann waved a green Woolworths bag before his victims, while keeping his spare hand in his pocket causing the pharmacy staff to fear he was carrying a weapon, the court heard.

It was reported Saunders remained silent during the attempted robbery while Mann told an elderly customer not to leave the pharmacy.

The customer ultimately fled at the encouragement of the pharmacist, the court heard.

Saunders and Mann fled shortly after, empty-handed.

Crown Prosecutor Annica Fritz compared Saunders to his co-accused Mann who was sentenced to two years imprisonment on May, 26, 2021 with probation after 6 months after pleading guilty to one count of attempted robbery.

She submitted to the court due to Saunders silence during the attempted robbery and a slightly less prominent criminal history he should receive a lesser sentence than his co-accused.

Judge John Allen said the lower involvement by Saunders in the crime was “not of great significance” to him.

“(Your) offending had the potential to cause real psychological harm,” he said.

Saunders presented to court with six pages of criminal history, much of it related to crimes fuelled by his drug dependency, an affliction the court was told he had since he was a teenager.

Justice Allen considered the rehabilitation efforts made by Saunders, who was now in a long-term relationship and had committed himself to battling his opioid addiction through the methadone program.

Saunders was sentenced to two years jail with a parole date set for September 4, 2023 to equal a total of five months served.

A conviction was recorded.