Machete-wielding Logan man Robert Hugh Shaw sentenced for supermarket attack

A young man will have to serve two years’ probation after he shoved a 53-year-old shopkeeper in the face, causing him to fall, before fleeing with stolen goods in his pockets.

A young Logan man has been sentenced in a Beenleigh court for a string of offences including assaulting a shopkeeper as they tried to stop him stealing from them.

Robert Hugh Shaw, 20, of Eagleby appeared in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, July 13 and pleaded guilty to four charges: going armed so as to cause fear, wilful damage, assault occasioning bodily harm, and stealing.

Police prosecutor Tahlia Boettcher said the assault and stealing charges were laid after Shaw attended Foodtown Woodridge about 12pm on Sunday, June 26.

She said the young man entered the store, immediately walked to the drinks section, selected multiple bottles of drink and placed them in the pockets of his jumper.

“The shop owner sighted the defendant and stood in the doorway to the business because he believed the items were about to be stolen,” Ms Boettcher said.

She said Shaw attempted to walk past the 53-year-old shop owner without making payment for the drinks.

“The shop owner has then tried to grab hold of the defendant who has pushed him backwards in the face with an open palm, causing him to fall into the doorway,” she said.

Shaw ran from the business, dropping two drinks as he did so. It is understood the shopkeeper suffered bruising as a result of the assault.

The court heard the going armed so as to cause fear charge related to the young man holding a machete in his hand on the same date in Beenleigh — however Magistrate Ron Kilner noted there was no allegation Shaw was making threats with the weapon.

However Ms Boettcher said the average person would feel fearful if they were to have crossed Shaw’s path at the time.

Shaw had a two-page criminal history, but Ms Boettcher argued the charges before the court on Wednesday demonstrated an “escalation” of his offending.

Defence solicitor Candice Hughes said her client was 19 years old and dealing with a number of personal issues when he committed the crimes.

She said he struggled with his mental health and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which had likely been aggravated by taking “illegal substances” from the age of 12.

He was also dealing with the collapse of a six-year relationship when he offended.

Magistrate Ron Kilner noted Shaw’s appearance in court on Wednesday was not his first, as he had a history that went back to 2020 and featured several other entries of wilful damage.

Taking into account the Logan man’s plea of guilty, his personal circumstances, and the seriousness of his offending, Mr Kilner sentenced him to 24 months’ probation.

Convictions were recorded and Mr Kilner ordered the machete be forfeited to the Crown.