Man sentenced over GI Hotel robbery

From jumping a bar to being behind bars, a Nambucca Heads man has been sentenced for robbing a South Grafton hotel

A police car ouotside the GI Hotel in South Grafton

THE Nambucca Heads man that jumped the back bar of the Good Intent Hotel last year and elbowed the sole barmaid who stood in his way as he attempted to flee has been sentenced in Grafton District Court.

Justin Joseph Chandler, 44, pleaded guilty to steal from person

The court was told that on the morning of May 3 2019 Chandler met a woman and the pair agreed to go for a few drinks and play the poker machines, and entered the hotel about 11.30am.

At the time the hotel’s front and back bar, poker machine area and TAB counter were attended by a lone employee, Vanessa Young, who later told police Chandler appeared “jittery” and his erratic movements and speech gave her the impression he “seemed out of it”.

GI Hotel bar attendant Vanessa Young takes a break after she confronted a man stealing from the till at the hotel on Friday.

About 1.35pm as Chandler’s acquaintance and Ms Young were talking Chandler jumped the unattended back bar and entered the caged TAB room and proceeded to steal the money.

He was disturbed when his acquaintance entered the back bar area and told police she saw Chandler “crouched down in the till shovelling money into his arms”.

She yelled at Chandler who then attempted to flee, and as Ms Young blocked his exit he elbowed her and jumped back over the bar to escape.

Despite the acquaintance giving police a false name and phone number, fearing she would be implicated after “not doing anything wrong”, police attended a Nambucca Heads property on June 19, 2019 where Chandler was arrested.

In Grafton District Court on Friday, June 5, Judge Jonathon Priestley sentenced Chandler to two years behind bars, with a 12-month non parole period.

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