Ex-cons left salty after ‘spectacularly unsuccessful’ robbery

The ‘spectacularly unsuccessful’ robbery of a fast food restaurant by two ex-cons has been singled out by a judge as one of the most inept she has ever seen. And it wasn’t even the first crack at Red Rooster for one of them.

The “spectacularly unsuccessful” robbery of a Red Rooster by two ex-cons has been singled out by a judge as one of the “most inept” she has come across.

Jonte Thomas Holmes, 26, and Reece Charles Cummins, 29, took off from the Kelvin Grove fast food chain with what they thought was a cash register – only to discover their loot was nothing more than a wad of salt and pepper sachets.

The Brisbane District Court was told yesterday that an employee who tried to stop the pair was punched in the face by Holmes during the robbery on November 16 last year.

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Judge Vicki Loury QC told the bumbling pair that it “would have to be one of the most inept robberies” she had come across – and the men’s lawyers agreed.

Jonte Thomas Holmes has twice been jailed for attempting to rob Red Rooster chains.

“It’s breathtaking,” Holmes’ barrister Colin Reid said.

“He’s been spectacularly unsuccessful.”

Unbelievably, the court was told Holmes had been released one week earlier from prison after serving time for robbing a Maryborough Red Rooster while drunk.

Cummins had also just been released on parole.

Holmes and Cummins appeared together in the dock at court where they each pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and assault among other summary charges.

Holmes also admitted to assaulting another man the day before the robbery, punching a driver in the face so he could steal the man’s car.

Cummins pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing after he took four bottles of wine and four bottles of Johnny Walker Red from a liquor store.

Mr Reid told the court that Holmes had a problem with alcohol and had gone off the rails when he left prison because he had been unable to return to Victoria where his family lived.

Cummins’ barrister said he was remorseful for his offending, which had occurred while his client was dealing with serious mental health issues.

Judge Loury sentenced Cummins to two years’ jail with immediate parole eligibility, after time already served.

Holmes was given a shorter sentence of 12 months’ jail, but will not be released until March 2022 because he was ordered to serve the sentence on top of his remaining jail term for robbing the Maryborough Red Rooster.

The court heard the sentence was fashioned this way so that once released, Holmes would be unrestricted by a parole order and free to return to Victoria.