Guy Anthony Ozanne sentenced for robbery

A meth head drive-by shooter has been handed a considerate sentence for his drug-fuelled robberies after being given a terminal diagnosis. Read what sparked his release here:

A convicted drive-by shooter responsible for meth-fuelled robberies has avoided more time behind bars after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.

Guy Anthony Ozanne, 36, was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence suspended for five years after he pleaded guilty to four charges including robbery while armed, in company and two counts of entering a dwelling to commit an indictable offence.

Maroochydore District Court this week heard Ozanne was on parole when he robbed a sports store while under the influence of meth and armed with scissors in March, 2020.

“You were shoplifting some shirts at a sports store and when you were confronted by the shop attendant you menaced her with scissors, demanded money, smashed a printer and tried to take the till in a pretty ham-fisted attempt at robbery,” Judge Glen Cash said.

Mr Cash told the court Ozanne was running away from the store when he tried to smash his way into a house through glass in the hope of stealing a getaway car.

The court heard Ozanne was also caught red-handed stealing nearly $7000 worth of goods from a house.

The stolen property included a computer, an iPhone and jewellery.

Crown prosecutor Greg Cummings said Ozanne had a significant criminal history and was sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence on November 25, 2009 for a drive-by shooting.

Ozanne opened fire with a sawn-off shotgun, spraying a man with pellets outside a Nambour hotel in 2008.

Mr Cummings suggested a five-year prison sentence and said it could be suspended after 536 days, the time Ozanne had already spent in custody.

Guy Anthony Ozanne was sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence on November 25, 2009 for a drive-by shooting. Picture: Cade Mooney

He said his suggested sentence factored in Ozanne’s personal circumstances.

“With his background you might impose a sentence of around six years for the robbery, but in the circumstances of this case and his prognosis in my submission (five years) is an appropriate sentence,” he said.

Barrister Mark Dixon said Ozanne, who had lived with the possibility of his cancer returning for 10 years, had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.

Ozanne has 18 months left to live.

Mr Dixon said the former carpenter’s life was “plagued” with his meth use and described his offending as ice-driven.

He suggested a five-year prison sentence could be immediately suspended given Ozanne’s “very poor prognosis”, his plea of guilty and the significant time he had spent in prison.

Mr Dixon attributed the delay in the sentencing to attaining medical materials.

He said without the medical reports Ozanne would have been sentenced to a harsher penalty.

Mr Dixon thanked Mr Cummings for his understanding submission.

Judge Glen Cash said the most significant consideration was Ozanne’s terminal prognosis and significant pre-sentence custody.

“Ordinarily someone with his background you would be pretty worried about releasing him without supervision, but the medical material puts things in a different light,” he said.

He hoped Mr Ozanne used the opportunity of a suspended sentence to enjoy his final months.

“You’ve got very limited time left Mr Ozanne and you should, I expect, not waste that by getting released from jail, abusing drugs, committing crimes and finding yourself back in jail where you spend your last days,” Mr Cash said.

“You have an opportunity today to make something of the last years or months you have and to not waste it …”

Ozanne’s 536 days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.