Richard Blair: Cherbourg chromer guilty of mugging two boys

A teen has been sentenced for a ‘nonsensical’ robbery of two teens at a Redlands shopping centre.

An itinerant teen has been sentenced for the “disgraceful’’ mugging of two 15-year-old boys at a Redlands shopping centre while high from chroming.

Richard James Daniel Blair, 19, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Monday to two counts of robbery, both in company and one using personal violence.

The court heard both offences occurred at Capalaba Central Shopping Centre on July 25 last year about 3pm.

Blair was in a group of 10–15 youths when he, a juvenile co-offender and a third person approached the two 15-year-old friends.

The first boy was forced to the ground by Blair’s co-accused and another person and robbed of his shoes.

Blair grabbed the other boy, who was trying to help his friend, before also stealing that boy’s shoes.

Cherbourg’s Richard James Daniel Blair, 19. Picture: Facebook

The first boy’s father came to the pair’s aide soon after and later found Blair loitering in the area with the two pairs of stolen shoes, which he gave back.

Blair was arrested and spent 138 days remanded in pre-sentence custody before he was granted Supreme Court bail.

Defence counsel Terry Morgans described Blair’s offending as “nonsensical” and could only be attributed to the effects of inhaling aerosols.

He said the mugging occurred in full view of a CCTV camera, near one of the victim’s father, and Blair made no attempt to flee.

Mr Morgans described Blair’s living arrangements as “being in a state of flux”, as he travelled between Cherbourg, Brisbane and Townsville.

But he noted Blair did have a job offer to pick fruit in Bundaberg.

Blair has a number of property-related offences before the Magistrates Court.

He was sentenced to the 138 days he was remanded in pre-sentence custody, and two years’ probation.

Convictions were recorded.