Georgia Eve Masterson and Jonathan Michael Egan jailed after armed carjacking at Tweed Heads
A Queensland couple have been jailed after an armed carjacking at Tweed City shopping centre left the victim's life ruined to this day.
Police & Courts
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A couple’s ice-fuelled crime spree across northern NSW and Queensland came to a terrifying end as police swarmed over a carjacked vehicle which brought devastating consequences for the victim.
Georgia Eve Masterson, 22, of Illinbah, and Jonathan Michael Egan, 25, of Greenbank were sentenced at Lismore District Court on Friday.
The Queensland pair watched on with deadpan expressions in their prison greens as police helicopter footage of their armed carjacking was played in court.
Egan and Masterson were being trailed by a police chopper after a series of armed robberies in Queensland and NSW on February 18 last year.
Footage showed the couple in a stolen Porsche pull into a Caltex at Banora Point on Leisure Dr, where Egan attempted to car jack a woman at gunpoint.
“I’m taking your fucking car, now give me the keys,” Egan said while brandishing a pistol.
The victim froze but didn’t hand over the keys - as the pair got back into the Porsche and drove to Tweed City shopping centre.
There, Hugh Garnar had just come out of Coles after picking up some groceries for his wife and four year-old son when he heard a helicopter overhead.
Egan pulled a knife on Mr Garnar, saying: “Do you want to die … I will kill you”, while Masterson brandished a gun.
The couple jumped into Mr Garnar’s Hyundai Tucson as police converged.
Officers attempted to block their escape - as Egan “used the Hyundai as an offensive weapon”, ramming into two police cars.
The footage showed multiple officers converge on the stolen Porsche, trying to drag the pair from the vehicle.
Egan could be seen attacking the officers through the driver’s side window.
The Garnars’ family car was destroyed in the crash, and they are still without a vehicle 15-months’ on.
Judge Jennifer English said the offending had a “horrific impact” on the innocent victims.
Outside of court, Mr Garnar’s wife Alex said Egan and Masterson had “f--ked (their) lives”, and the offenders “don’t care”.
The day after the carjacking at Tweed City, the Garner’s son Mason “died” in his mother‘s arms, Ms Garnar said outside of court.
“He died in my arms the night after because we had to wait for an ambulance for 45 minutes,” she said.
“I watched my child become limp and unresponsive in my arms.”
Mason was miraculously resuscitated by emergency services.
The court heard Egan had been on ice during the crime spree, and had spent most of his 20s in and out of prison for drug related offending.
The court heard Egan had an “epiphany” while in custody, and understood he had to “get it together” because he was “wasting his life in jail”.
The court heard Masterson had a rough and abusive upbringing, and suffered from substance abuse - but had also come to an “epiphany” about turning her life around.
Ms English found the pair were remorseful, but said their chances of rehabilitation were “guarded”.
Egan was charged with possessing an unauthorised pistol, using an offensive weapon in company to prevent detention, attempted aggravated assault with intention to steal a car in company, aggravated assault with intention to steal a car in company, and two counts of driving a car while disqualified.
Egan was jailed for seven years with a non-parole period of four years (he will be eligible for release on August 18, 2026).
Masterson was charged with using an offensive weapon in company to prevent detention, attempted aggravated assault with intent to steal a car in company, and aggravated assault with intent to steal a car in company.
Masterson was jailed for six years with three years non-parole (eligible for release on August 18, 2026).
They both pleaded guilty on October 14 last year to all charges.
Egan and Masterson have already served 15 months of their sentences while on remand.