Curtis James Ward-Kaye sentenced for Ipswich armed robbery

A tradie let fly a brazen act with a hammer in front of a 13-year-old girl, in what a court heard was a desperate act to pay his dues.

Curtis James Ward-Kaye leaving the Ipswich courthouse on March 2, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A Lockyer Valley tradie was so desperate to pay rent that he brandished a hammer at a servo worker and threatened to hurt him if he didn’t give him money.

Kensington Grove concreter Curtis James Ward-Kaye, 22, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on March 2, 2023, to one charge of armed robbery.

The court heard Ward-Kaye had been living in a share house and had been in an “extreme financial bind” in his struggle to pay his rent and bills.

Two days after his birthday, he was driving home from work and he “had the idea” to rob his local service station.

Crown prosecutor Ashleigh Wakefield said Ward-Kaye removed the licence plates from his car, concealed his face with a mask and dark glasses, and collected a claw hammer from his car before he carrying out the deed.

Around 5.30pm on August 24, 2022, Ward-Kaye entered a BP servo in Tivoli, followed by a 13-year-old girl and a woman – who the court heard were members of the general public.

Ms Wakefield said Ward-Kaye confronted the staff member at the till, brandished the hammer, and demanded he give him $500.

The worker said he didn’t have $500, and Ward-Kaye responded “give me the till or I will hurt you”.

When the worker took the till out, Ward-Kaye snatched a handful of notes worth $100 and fled.

The court heard he was arrested the next day, and spent five days in custody.

Curtis James Ward-Kaye leaving the Ipswich courthouse on March 2, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Defence lawyer Matt Gemmell told the court his client had made full admissions “in excess of the norm” to police and indicated from the start he would plead guilty.

He tendered a letter of apology Ward-Kaye had written to the victim, along with references attesting to the fact the offending was “out of character” for him.

Ms Wakefield said the fact there was a “level of planning involved” and members of the public present at the time was aggravating.

She also noted Ward-Kaye had been on bail at the time for previous stealing and property offending.

Mr Gemmell said actual imprisonment would be counter-productive, because his client was already under supervision due to the prior offending and was making good progress.

He said his client had moved back in with his parents and had steady employment in concreting.

As a result, he said Ward-Kaye’s financial stresses were alleviated and the risk of his reoffending was “reduced to nil”.

Judge Dennis Lynch said Ward-Kaye’s offending was on the lower end of the scale when compared to similar offences, but that the need to deter individuals from such offending was strong.

“I can say from recent experience sitting here, that that service station has previously been the target of similar conduct,” Judge Lynch said.

He said it would have been a “frightening experience” for the victim, and that Ward-Kaye’s short criminal history “demonstrates a significant disrespect for the property of others”.

However, Judge Lynch acknowledged Ward-Kaye’s life appeared to be “back on track” now he had moved back in with his parents.

He sentenced Ward-Kaye to two years imprisonment, with immediate parole release and five days of pre-sentence custody declared time served.