Mackay man Ernest Karl Tomarra in court for axe robbery

A terrifying, meth-fuelled robbery unfolded when a man went to a home previously occupied by a person called ‘Nitro,’ who he claimed owed him $2000. DETAILS

Ernest Karl Tomarra pleaded guilty in Mackay District Court to the robbery.

A axe-wielding man who was high on meth at the time of a terrifying confrontation over a $2000 debt has been allowed to immediately apply for his release, being told he was not too old to turn his life around.

Ernest Karl Tomarra went to a West Mackay home on October 10, 2023 looking for someone named “Nitro”, who he believed still lived at the property and who he claimed owed him money, the Mackay District Court was told this week.

The occupant of the home was a stranger but that did not stop Tomarra from walking through the home, then heading to a shed out back and helping himself to tools, including an axe, before he was confronted.

In response, Tomarra raised the axe above his head and yelled at the resident, “I’m here for Nitro, come one, come one!” before stepping back and leaving the property with the axe.

Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard told the court it was a “low level robbery”.

Defence barrister Sean Franklin said his client, who pleaded guilty to the offence, had initially helped himself to power and hand tools claiming he had a right to them in lieu of the alleged $2000 debt.

Mr Franklin said his client accepted his conduct with the axe and reaction to the victim was completely unwarranted; he had been meth affected at the time.

“He’s been a drug addict for 10 years,” Mr Franklin said.

The court heard Tomarra had only been released on parole two days earlier, when he went on a drug bender and committed the robbery, in an attempt to deal with the debt issue under the influence of meth.

Mr Franklin said it was entirely opportunistic and was not planned and there was no evasion needed by the victim to avoid being struck with the axe.

Judge Gregory Lynham accepted the victim had felt terrified and thought he was going to be hit by the axe and told Tomarra this type of conduct was not acceptable.

“You’re not so old that life has passed you by,” Judge Lynham said.

Tomarra was jailed for 2.5 years with immediate parole eligibility, with 505 days in presentence custody declared time already served.