Rene Hosta: Mount Vernon woman jailed for gunpoint robbery of ex-partner

An “intelligent” woman who invited her former lover to her mum’s home before threatening him, and his family, at gunpoint and demanding he hand over his PlayStations has been jailed.

A woman who invited her former lover to her mum’s home before threatening him, and his family, at gunpoint and demanding he hand over his PlayStations and a motorbike has been sentenced to jail.

Rene Hosta, 28, of Mt Vernon, appeared at Penrith District Court via videolink to be sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to armed robbery in company, possessing an unauthorised pistol and possessing or using a prohibited weapon and demand property with menace and intent to steal.

According to facts tendered to the court, on June 7 Hosta invited her ex-partner to her mother’s house to catch up following the breakdown of their relationship.

Shortly after he arrived, a firearm was pointed at him by Hosta’s female friend who then berated him.

Hosta demanded the man hand over items of his property, including two PlayStations, cash, jewellery and a motorbike, court documents state.

Hosta was sentenced at Penrith District Court.

Failure to do so, Hosta informed him, would result in his family being killed.

Later that evening, after the ex-partner had alerted authorities, police officers pulled Hosta over at a service station to question her, including asking what was in her front pocket.

Hosta replied “something stupid” before retrieving a small hand gun.

She was placed under arrest and a search of her car found a pistol and three homemade rifles made from cylindrical pipe and gas cylinders.

When sentencing Hosta, Judge Sophia Beckett said the case was unusual as the 28-year-old had “not much” of a criminal history and no prior convictions.

Judge Beckett found the offending was planned and said Hosta had tried to evade involvement and deny knowledge of key details during her arrest.

The court heard after the relationship ended, Hosta’s ex-partner had begun harassing the 28-year-old and her mum at her workplace. Hosta said she wanted to send a message to her ex-partner that his behaviour was not acceptable.

Since being remanded in custody Hosta had been working in the kitchen and had ambitions on studying mechanical engineering.

Judge Beckett was kind in her final words, telling Hosta she was an intelligent and capable person with potential before wishing her the best of luck.

Hosta was sentenced to four years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of 29 months. She will be eligible for release in November 2025.