Travis Warren-McCarthy in court for Discount Drug Store armed robbery

A man will finally learn his fate after a 2011 armed robbery of a Wharf St chemist which prosecutors claim was to support his drug habit.

A man who brandished a weapon to rob a Tweed Heads chemist almost 11 years ago did so to support his addiction, a Lismore court has heard.

Queensland man Travis Warren-McCarthy, 32, pleaded guilty in Lismore District Court on Monday to armed robbery.

The court heard Warren-McCarthy robbed a Discount Drug Store staff member of $500 on June 28, 2011 at Tweed Heads.

Crown prosecutor Peter Woods said the sentence would be a matter of totality as Warren-McCarthy was convicted in the Brisbane Supreme Court soon after the incident for similar armed robbery offences which occurred at or about the same time.

He was released in September 2021 when he was then placed into custody for the 2011 offences.

Mr Woods noted the offences were to support Warren-McCarthy’s drug habit at the time.

He also raised concerns that the recent passing of Warren-McCarthy’ s mother and a father with a brain injury would leave him with limited support in the community.

Solicitor Kate Brady said Warren-McCarthy had initiated his own assessment for diversionary program Balund-a.

Judge Jeffrey McLennan consented to the Balund-a adjournment to help Warren-McCarthy put himself in the “best possible position” prior to sentence.

He set a sentence for September 30 in Lismore District Court.