Brett William Wood, 37, turns himself in three weeks after Oxley service station robbery

A man who fell back into a meth habit and robbed an Oxley service station got the guilts only three weeks later and handed himself in to police.

A man who confessed to police three weeks after robbing an Oxley service station has been jailed. FILE PHOTO

A man who fell back into a meth habit and robbed an Oxley service station got the guilts only three weeks later and handed himself in to police.

Brett William Wood, 37, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on August 28 to one count of armed robbery.

The court heard Wood was arrested on a separate offence when he made a spontaneous confession to police about robbing an Oxley service station because he had relapsed into methamphetamine use.

The court was told that on September 11 last year Wood entered the service station with a face covering and approached an employee behind the counter.

He demanded money while brandishing a knife and the worker gave him $160.10 before Wood fled.

Police arrested him for a separate matter on September 17.

They noticed a car outside his home looked similar to the one recorded leaving the service station just after the robbery.

Later, on October 9, police were handing Wood paperwork when he made the spontaneous confession to robbing the service station.

“I robbed the servo for 160 bucks, there you go. Other than that you have got me anyway,” he told police.

Judge Ken Barlow said it was commendable Wood had confessed.

“You should congratulate yourself for making a genuine effort,” Judge Barlow said.

“It is unfortunate you relapsed (on methamphetamine) and you paid the penalty for it.

“Not only did you pay the penalty for it but the complainant, who was the victim of this offence, paid the penalty for it.”

The court heard Wood had a nine-year-old son and worked as a plasterer and cleaner.

Judge Barlow said Wood’s son would also pay for his actions if he continued to use drugs and cycle in and out of jail.

“To your credit, you made a frank admission to the police,” Judge Barlow said.

“There’s no reason you can’t be a decent parent – that’s what everyone would like to see.”

Wood apologised to the court for his actions.

“I just want to apologise to everyone I have hurt,” he said.

Judge Barlow said Wood had made a genuine effort to deal with his drug problem as he grew older.

But he relapsed after his mother died, his brother was diagnosed with cancer and his relationship broke down.

Wood was sentenced to three and a half years’ jail, with 345 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time served.

He was due for prison release on September 16, with the remaining two years of his sentence suspended.