Jack Robert Scott Hallam jailed for Rockhampton and Maroochydore armed robberies

A Sunshine Coast man who had his Mustang carjacked at gunpoint by a Central Queensland bull rider addicted to meth thought he was going to die, a court has heard.

Jack Robert Scott Hallam, 21, carried out two armed robberies in 2022 - one at a Rockhampton sports store and the other a Mustang carjacking at the Sunshine Coast where an associate was armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

“He thought he was going to be killed.”

This is what Rockhampton District Court heard during the sentencing of a young methamphetamines user for two armed robberies about one of his victims.

Jack Robert Scott Hallam, 21, carried out two armed robberies in 2022 – one at a Rockhampton sports store and the other a Mustang carjacking at the Sunshine Coast where an associate was armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

Crown prosecutor Matthew Sutton said the first armed robbery was at Rockhampton’s Intersport store on July 15, 2022, about 1.40pm where he shoved clothing into his bag, left the store setting off alarms and threatened to stab staff with a dirty syringe when they followed him and confronted him.

The second was in Maroochydore when he was a passenger in a stolen rental Ford Ranger when he’s mates decided to carry out armed robbery of a 57-year-old Ford Mustang driver on his way to work about 5am on September 21, 2022.

The driver of the stolen Ranger overtook the Mustang and stopped in front of it, forcing the Mustang to stop.

One of Hallam’s co-accused allegedly brandished a sawn-off shotgun during the carjacking – all captured on CCTV.

“The gun was used to coax the victim out of the car which was then stolen,” Mr Sutton said.

SHOTGUN AIMED AT HIS FACE

Judge Chowdhury said the Mustang driver put his hands up to indicate he would comply with the offenders’ directions after the shotgun was aimed at his face.

“Unsurprisingly, he thought he was going to be killed,” he said.

The group took off in the stolen cars with police attempting to intercept them on the Sunshine Motorway later that morning.

The offenders used the Mustang driver’s credit card four times.

Judge Chowdhury said the following day the Ford Ranger was found in Caboolture and it appeared there had been an attempt to torch it.

Hallam’s finger prints were found on the back of the registration plate attached to the Ranger while his co-accused’s was allegedly found on a can of alcohol.

Judge Chowdhury said police found the Mustang the following day at Coolum with two shot gun rounds found near the steering wheel.

“That’s quite alarming because it means the shotgun may well have been loaded at the time of the robbery,” he said.

Hallam pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on November 15 to two counts of armed robbery, one of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and four counts of fraud – dishonest application of a bank card.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client instructed he had met the others in the stolen vehicle only a few days prior through a mutual friend and on the day of the Mustang carjacking, he had consumed “a significant amount of methamphetamine”.

She said he figured out something was going on when the driver of the stolen vehicle he was in started following the Mustang.

Ms Willey said Hallam was also aware one of them had a gun.

‘HE CERTAINLY LOST HIS WAY’

She said Hallam started using methamphetamines after leaving home at age 18 and his usage increased significantly in a short amount of time after the first use of the highly addictive drug.

“His life hasn’t been the same since,” Ms Willey said.

“He’s certainly lost his way.”

She said her client has “significant support in the community” with his mother in court in support.

She said Hallam had worked in labouring and fencing after leaving school in Year 11.

Judge Chowdhury said material provided to him showed Hallam was into bull riding and working on cattle farms.

Ms Willey said he hoped to stay away from drug associates after his release from prison and gain work at the mines with the help of his father.

The court heard Hallam had a two page criminal record which included a conviction for possessing weapons in Bundaberg and another for possessing drugs and was on probation at the time of this offending.

“This is yet another tragic case where someone starts using amphetamines and their lives spiral out of control,” Judge Chowdhury said.

“It’s the nastiest drug available.”

Hallam received a head sentence of five-years prison with 413 days presentence custody declared as time already served and immediate parole eligibility.