Townsville District Court: Floyd Zelig Moeller sentenced after attempting to rob backpackers

A man offered two women a lift from the nightclub strip and took a detour to a secluded area in a shocking armed robbery.

Townsville District Court: Floyd Zelig Moeller sentenced after attempting to rob backpackers. Picture: Facebook

While two women visiting North Queensland were waiting for a taxi to get home, a driver took advantage of the pair and offered them a lift before inflicting a shocking robbery attempt on the tourists in a secluded area.

Floyd Zelig Moeller appeared in Townsville District Court on Tuesday morning after he and a woman held two backpackers at knifepoint and demanded money and jewellery.

Crown prosecutor Ashley Gaden told the court that the Irish nationals were on Flinders Street on August 14 last year before lining up at the taxi rank in the early hours of the morning.

“They faced the perils most do in trying to find a taxi afterwards,” she said.

“They flagged down the defendant who agreed to drop them back to the Deeragun caravan park.”

The court was told the women agreed to pay the man $25 for the lift which was being facilitated through bank transfer by the woman in the passenger seat.

“(Moeller) turned the opposite direction to where they needed to go, they told him he was going the wrong way and he went to a dirt road,” Ms Gaden said.

“It was a two-door car so they were unable to get out.

“The defendants faced them, (the woman) said ‘I’ve seen your bank account, send the rest to me’ and pulled out a knife.”

Ms Gaden said they also asked the women to hand over their jewelry and Apple watch, however one of the women said ‘you can keep me here all night I’m not going to give you anything’.

The women were eventually let out of the car until one of them realised they left their handbag with a passport and driver’s licence in the backseat and when they asked if they could retrieve it the defendant said no.

Ms Gaden said the man pulled one of the women backwards and the knife the other woman held cut the woman’s stomach and arm before the pair got back in the car and drove off.

“(The backpacker) bravely stood in front of the car because she wanted her passport back,” the crown said.

However the pair drove off and left the two women behind, the court was told.

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson instructed by Rennick Lawyers said while his client wasn’t a youthful offender he had no relevant criminal history.

“It wasn’t planned, it seemed to develop and was conducted thereafter,” he said.

Moeller pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery in company and robbery with violence.

He was sentenced to two years jail and given an immediate parole release date as 366 days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

Originally published as Townsville District Court: Floyd Zelig Moeller sentenced after attempting to rob backpackers