Matthew Alan Taylor: Man faces trial over 2018 ram raid

A man is on trial after allegedly stealing nearly $28,000 from Hotel Queanbeyan during an armed ram raid with a stolen ute. Find out what happened in court.

A man who allegedly stole almost $28,000 in cash from a pub during an armed ram-raid with a stolen ute — which was later set alight — is standing trial at the Queanbeyan District Court.

Matthew Alan Taylor is charged with robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, taking and driving a conveyance without the consent of owners and damaging property over $15,000 by fire over the alleged 2018 incident.

He has pleaded not guilty.

According to the indictment against Mr Taylor, police allege between November 11 and November 15 in 2018 he stole a dark Mitsubishi Triton with ACT registration plates.

On Monday prosecutors told the Queanbeyan District Court the owner of the vehicle was away overseas during the time of the alleged car theft.

Police allege at 12.30am on November 15, 2018 Mr Taylor was involved in a ram raid, where he drove the stolen Triton into Hotel Queanbeyan before entering the property to steal $27,965.40 in cash while armed with a firearm.

Matthew Alan Taylor is facing trial at Queanbeyan District Court over an alleged ram raid at Hotel Queanbeyan in November 2018. Picture: Supplied

Members of the jury were shown CCTV footage of the alleged incident where a man, whose face is obscured by a makeshift balaclava, is seen firing shots, and threatening staff.

In one section of the footage, the man is depicted holding a gun, while forcing a staff member to hand over cash from a register.

Police also allege Mr Taylor set the Triton alight at a property in Pialligo, ACT, following the ram raid.

The court heard from a witness - the man who owns the Pialligo property where the ute was allegedly torched.

The man told the court he was watching television after midnight and heard a vehicle outside.

He said he often dealt with people illegally dumping rubbish on his property so he went outside and drove to the end of his property to see what was happening.

The man said he saw the Triton, walked over to it, and saw no one was inside.

The aftermath of a 2018 ram raid at Hotel Queanbeyan. Picture: Facebook

He told the court he “felt weird” and jumped back into his vehicle and drove back towards his house and had a cigarette outside.

Soon after he saw the ute in the distance on fire and quickly called Triple-0.

The man said he was particularly concerned because the now-alight triton was blocking the only entry to this property.

The witness said he saw a cattle truck driving on his property, and attempted to make the driver stop, but said the person in the truck kept driving.

The jury heard a recording of a brief Triple-0 phone call where the witness is heard saying “my property is on fire” and asking the operator for police assistance.

The trial continues.