Norlane criminal Cody Langridge, 26, jailed over attempted milk bar armed robbery

A sex offender and serial Geelong criminal threatened to shoot a female shop attendant during a frightening attempted armed robbery, a court has heard.

Cody Langridge was jailed over an attempted armed robbery in Norlane earlier this year. Picture: Facebook

A serial Geelong criminal who threatened to shoot a terrified milk bar attendant earlier this year has learned his fate following a bungled attempted armed robbery.

Recidivist thug and registered sex offender Cody Langridge, 26, admitted the frightening offence on January 6, with the Geelong County Court hearing he wrapped a metal vacuum pole inside his T-shirt and pretended it was a firearm before holding up an Alkira Ave convenience store.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted armed robbery on Wednesday, with the court hearing he went to great lengths to “case the joint” before he rushed in wearing a neck gaiter and demanded cash.

He repeatedly threatened a female staffer “he would shoot” and struck the front counter with the pole before being chased out by the shop’s owner, who had armed himself with a baseball bat.

Langridge fled the scene on foot and was arrested eight days later.

He was affected by drugs at the time, with Judge Gerard Mullaly arguing his motive was likely obtaining cash to feed his addiction.

The “largely amateurish” attempted robbery, captured on CCTV, did not excuse the significant fear it instilled in the victims, according to public prosecutor Philip Teo.

Cody Langridge. Picture: Supplied.

The court heard Langridge had an extensive criminal history and the offence was committed within a month after he had been released from prison.

His defence counsel, Amanda Hurst, said her client had suffered terrible physical abuse as a child, and had started smoking cannabis from age 10.

“He hasn’t functioned without drugs since he was a young boy,” Ms Hurst said.

In handing down his sentence, Judge Mullaly said employees of local convenience stores should be able to do their jobs “without being terrified by those with weapons”, saying he had little confidence in Langridge’s ability to “reform your ways.”

He spent six months in prison in 2023 and had “a concerning” criminal history, including violence and sexual offending and aggravated burglaries, the court heard.

Judge Mullaly sentenced him to three years and 10 months in prison with a non-parole period of two years.

Attempted armed robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Langridge has spent 264 days behind bars since his arrest, which will act as time served.

Originally published as Norlane criminal Cody Langridge, 26, jailed over attempted milk bar armed robbery