Windang: Mouhammad Medhi jailed over armed servo robbery

CCTV footage of a terrifying knifepoint robbery at a Windang service station has been played to a court, after the thief admitted he was high on drugs at the time. WATCH THE FOOTAGE.

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A Sydney man was under the influence of a cocktail of drugs and hadn’t slept for days when he carried out a terrifying armed robbery at a servo, making off with just $40 and a few packets of cigarettes.

Mouhammad Medhi, 27, faced Wollongong District Court via audiovisual link from a jail cell on Monday, where he was sentenced to three years and four months jail with a non-parole period of 20 months by Judge Chris O’Brien, after he held a service station attendant up with a knife.

“He is insightful and willing to do all he needs to turn his life around, so he doesn’t fall foul of the criminal justice system in future,” Judge O’Brien said.

Mehdi told the court he understood the attendant would have been “traumatised”.

According to court documents, the 27-year-old had not slept for “three or four days” when he ran into a Windang service station at about 8pm on February 28, with a friend who was armed with a crowbar.

Medhi, completely covered except for his eyes, held the service station worker at knifepoint while repeatedly yelling “give me the money or I swear to God I’ll cut you.”

CCTV footage of the terrifying incident was played to the court on Monday, showing Medhi take $40 from the register and eight packets of Peter Jackson cigarettes from a cupboard.

In the documents, it was revealed the attendant at one point felt the small black knife Mehdi was holding press against his neck.

Police noticed the pair driving down Springhill Road some time later and stopped the vehicle, where court documents state officers caught the pair red-handed, finding the cash and cigarettes in the car.

Mehdi was placed under arrest and charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon, to which he pleaded guilty earlier this year.

In giving evidence in court on Monday, Mehdi said he couldn’t remember a lot of the robbery.

“I don’t recall doing it but I went through a divorce and was very depressed and I wasn’t seeing my children much,” he told the court.

“I was using heroin, ice, MDMA, marijuana and alcohol … I was awake for three or four days at the time.

“It’s something I didn’t think I’d ever do, it makes me feel sick.”

Mehdi told the court he was remorseful for his actions and that his actions may have “traumatised” the servo attendant.

The court also heard Mehdi felt “shame” for his actions and “always wanted to be held responsible for this offence”.

With time already served in custody, Medhi will be eligible for parole in October next year.