Malachi Conway sentenced for Rockhampton Red Rooster armed robbery

A young robber whose wild spree included carjacking a teen fast food worker at knifepoint has been sentenced for a string of serious crimes committed at Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone.

Malachi Jordan Conway, 20, was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone on February 1.

A young man who robbed a Rockhampton Red Rooster worker at knifepoint also held up a service station in a widespread crime spree, a court has heard.

Malachi Jordan Conway, 20, was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone after pleading guilty to 15 charges including two counts of armed robbery, and three counts of burglary and stealing.

The court heard Conway, who appeared at his sentencing in custody, was involved in a crime spree across Queensland that started when he was 18 and escalated to armed robberies.

The first of the armed robberies happened at Wulguru, Townsville, where Conway entered an Ampol service station about 9.20pm, produced a knife and threatened a staffer behind the counter while demanding money.

Conway accessed the till from which he stole between $800 and $1000 cash.

Before leaving, he also stole several packets of cigarettes.

In the second armed robbery, on November 15, 2023, Conway targeted a 19-year-old female worker at a Rockhampton Red Rooster store on George Lane.

He approached the Mazda 3 she was in, opened the driver’s door and produced a small knife.

Conway yelled at the worker to get out of the car, which she did, and she ran inside the Red Rooster store.

Conway got into the car and drove off.

Malachi Jordan Conway.

He was eventually apprehended at Toolooa, Gladstone, after police conducting patrols about 2.13am on November 16, 2023, saw the Red Rooster worker’s vehicle and him driving it with no headlights on.

About 10am on July 19, 2022, Conway got into a woman’s home at The Range, Rockhampton.

She was outside gardening when Conway went into the main bedroom and stole jewellery.

Conway’s fingerprint was found on one of the jewellery boxes.

Then just before 10am on August 1, 2022, Conway used a screwdriver to remove a flyscreen and jemmy open a back window of a residence at North Mackay.

Neighbours saw Conway and called police but he again escaped with jewellery.

On the night of August 16, 2022, Conway entered an Ampol service station at Garbutt, Townsville, through an unlocked back door.

He tried to jemmy open the till with a small crowbar but was unsuccessful.

He then stole several packets of cigarettes and threatened to hit a male console operator with the crowbar before stealing his wallet.

The court heard that before Conway engaged in this crime spree, he only had a “minor” criminal history.

Defence Barrister Scott Moon said Conway had been a long-time sufferer of mental health issues and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Mr Moon said after Conway started using substances, his offending spiralled.

He also said once Conway was released from custody he planned to reside with his mother in Rockhampton and look for work.

Judge Craig Chowdhury sentenced Conway to five years’ jail, suspended after serving six months, for an operational period of five years.

He took into account that Conway had spent 372 days in pre-sentence custody but he did not declare that as time already served.