Toowoomba mother Kirsty Williams pleads guilty to multiple armed robberies
Sobbing and threatening a gun, she pleaded with staff to hand over the cash or else she would face her boyfriend’s wrath.
A troubled mother has claimed her bizarre armed robbery spree was spurred on after her partner’s menacing threats.
Toowoomba mother Kirsty Leigh Williams, 35, was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on October 30 to two counts of armed robbery after pleading guilty to the charges earlier in the year.
The court heard Williams, in the late afternoon of May 6, 2024, accosted two employees at a Toowoomba bowling alley, demanding they hand over the money in the till or she would “pull a gun”.
The mum of nine then fled with what one employee estimated as around $400 in cash.
A few hours later, Williams entered a Newtown petrol station where she threatened another staff member, pretending to wield a gun.
“She put her hand behind her back and leaned over the counter,” Crown prosecutor Abby Kong said.
“She said open the till, just open it bro, please, please.”
CCTV captured Williams crying before shouting, “please before someone bashes me, please just open till”.
The clerk obliged, with Williams promising to pay back the money the following week.
She was soon after arrested with $1210 in her pants.
While admitting to stealing the money, Williams denied threatening the employees by appearing to be holding a gun.
She told police she needed money to pay her partner who was threatening her with physical violence, adding the money from the first robbery did not satisfy his demands.
Prosecution confirmed there was a known domestically violent situation between Williams and her then-partner, with her partner having stalked her down three times prior to that night.
“The crown can’t rebut the defendant’s assertions as to threats of violence in a domestic setting playing part in this offending,” Ms Kong said.
Barrister John Davis said Williams’ drastically increased her offending at the same time as her relationship with her accused abuser began.
Mr Davis added Williams claimed to be unable to go to police with her concerns as the man had previously been charged three times for his abuse but continued to harass her.
“It would be a particularly bizarre way of committing robbery if she was just making it up,” Mr Davis said.
“She essentially felt trapped.
“There were three separate occasions where she moved house and he found her in different locations (despite a restraining order).”
Mr Davis referenced a psychological report which detailed Williams’ traumatic and disadvantaged childhood and noted a potential brain injury caused by abuse earlier in life.
Judge … acknowledged Williams’ fraught upbringing; however, stressed the need to protect the community.
“You must understand that even if I take into account the very serious background, these are also serious offences and the need to stop you from offending is very strong,” he said.
“People behind the counters at places like a bowling alley or petrol station are just trying to do their jobs,” he said.
“It is outrageous that they had to be threatened with violence and go through that experience.”
Williams was sentenced to four years imprisonment with 194 days of presentence custody declared time served.
Another 159 days spent in custody were taken into consideration but not declared.
Williams will be eligible for parole on February 28, 2026.
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Originally published as Toowoomba mother Kirsty Williams pleads guilty to multiple armed robberies
