Victim endures court case to face bandit

HE robbed her at knife point and made her life a misery.

HE robbed her at knife point and made her life a misery.

She stood strong at all of his court appearances, but yesterday Amy Alderson broke down.

Fighting back tears, she watched as Michael John Hammond hugged his family goodbye after he was sentenced to almost four years in jail for the robbery in June last year.

Miss Alderson raced from Rockhampton court-house to embrace her boyfriend, Casey McIlbeen.

She kissed him on the lips before hugging him.

The sigh of relief she breathed could be heard metres away. Miss Alderson, 22, said she wanted to face Hammond because she wanted him to know that his "actions were more serious than he thought".

"It's the fact that he doesn't understand the consequences," she said.

"I want him to know what he did."

On the night of the robbery, Miss Alderson began her shift at Rockhampton's Adult Fun, at 7.30pm.

She was the only employee in the store when Hammond, 20, entered wearing baggy black pants, a jumper, beanie and gloves.

High on amphetamines, he had his beanie pulled down; his shirt pulled up to conceal his identity and wore talcum powder on the bottom of his shoes to avoid dog detection.

Miss Alderson was on the phone to another employee who had finished the shift before her when he threw a black bag at her, and, in a "nervous voice", demanded money.

It was then that she saw the knife.

He started walking around behind the counter so she quickly began placing money in the bag, starting with the $50 notes.

Before she could get to the $5 notes he took the bag and ran.

Hammond was living next door at the Grand Hotel and it was there that police found him, only two hours later.

Yesterday he pleaded guilty to the armed robbery, plus seven other offences.

He was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison to be suspended after serving 12 months.

Miss Alderson, who no longer works at Adult Fun, said she was happy Hammond had been punished.

Originally published as Victim endures court case to face bandit