Redbank Plains dad Kevin Pitia faces Ipswich Court for bizarre attempted robbery

An Ipswich father-of-four claimed he was “only 13” during a bizarre attempted robbery in which he apologised to a servo attendant while demanding money.

Ampol service station. Picture: Toby Zerna

An adult father-of-four claimed he was “only 13” during a bungled attempted robbery in which he demanded money from a servo attendant, apologised, and then asked the man to fight him outside.

Kevin Pitia, 22, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on April 3 to one count of attempted robbery while pretending to be armed.

The Redbank Plains father-of-four had attempted to rob an Ampol service station in Goodna on July 26, 2023.

The court heard Pitia went to the station around 3am while “heavily intoxicated” and attempted to buy a bottle of water.

Judge Benedict Power said Pitia couldn’t afford the large bottle he wanted, but the attendant at the night window agreed to sell him their cheapest bottle instead.

Pitia then pulled up a red cloth over the lower half of his face as the attendant went to get the water, in what the court heard was an unsophisticated attempt to conceal his identity.

But the attendant still passed him the bottle through the night window slot drawer when he returned.

Judge Power said Pitia put his hand into the slot while holding an object concealed inside a paper bag – which the attendant had believed was a gun.

Pitia then demanded money, while apologising in the process, and the attendant responded by slamming Pitia’s hand in the slot.

Pitia then told the attendant he was “only 13”, before asking the man to come outside the service station and fight him, the court heard.

Judge Power said the claim was “bizarre” considering Pitia had been 22 at the time and looked like an adult.

“This is a pretty strange attempted armed robbery,” he said.

He said the attendant refused to fight, gave back Pitia’s money, and asked for the bottle of water back in return.

Judge Power said Pitia gave the bottle back, and noted that if he hadn’t, Pitia would’ve been charged with actual robbery.

Police apprehended Pitia around a month later after identifying him on CCTV footage.

Pitia spent 219 days on remand while waiting for his sentence.

His defence barrister Cecelia Bernardin said her client had used that time productively to obtain a white card and other certifications.

She said Pitia had been drinking excessively around the time of the incident to cope with some personal stressors.

The court heard Pitia had a substantial criminal history for his age, but had not committed any similar offences previously.

Judge Power told Pitia that his intoxication did not reduce his culpability, but it provided relevant context to explain his behaviour.

He said his sentencing must deter others from similar offending, in order to protect workers who provide “an important public service” working overnight shifts.

Pitia was sentenced to nine months jail, followed by three years probation.

With 219 days of presentence custody declared time-served, he would have to serve just under three months until his release.