Guy Russell Finn pleads guilty to carjacking at knifepoint at Helensvale train station

An armed man took off in a stolen car after threatening to stab one of his victims during a frightening carjacking - but one item inside the vehicle led police straight to him. FULL DETAILS

A man who threatened to stab another man while brandishing a knife in a terrifying carjacking was tracked down by police through a pair of AirPods left in the vehicle.

Guy Russell Finn was armed with a blade several inches long when he targeted a man picking up his brother-in-law from Helensvale train station just before 11pm on March 4 last year.

Southport District Court was told Finn first demanded the vehicle’s keys from the man loading his scooter into the back of the car, advancing on him and saying “I’m gonna stab you” when told his victim did not have the keys.

Prosecutor Amelia Baker-Smith said the 28-year-old then moved around to the driver’s side door and threatened the man seated behind the wheel.

Fearing Finn was going to smash the window and stab him, the second man got out of the car, allowing Finn to get in and take off.

Ms Baker-Smith said Finn drove erratically after fleeing the scene – including deliberately driving through gates at a rubbish tip – before being tracked down by police through a pair of AirPods belonging to one of the victims left in the vehicle.

Finn cut off his ankle monitor earlier that same day, having been released on parole only weeks prior.

The court was told Finn had notched up several stints behind bars and was currently serving an unrelated jail term. He had previously been sentenced for his role in another carjacking.

Defence barrister James McNab said his client suffered an unstable and prejudicial upbringing, and was introduced to drugs – including heroin and methylamphetamine – at 13 years old.

Mr McNab said Finn wanted to address his substance abuse and become a positive role model for his two children, with medical reports indicating his risk of reoffending could be reduced with adequate support upon his release.

Finn had previously been assessed for an intellectual impairment, it was heard.

Judge Jodie Wooldridge said Finn’s childhood clearly had an ongoing impact on his life and mental health, and urged him to properly engage with parole services.

“It should go without saying, Mr Finn, that people need to be able to go to the train station and pick up their family members and leave the carpark without having been threatened and accosted by people wanting to take their vehicles,” Judge Wooldridge said.

Finn pleaded guilty to several charges including threatening violence at night and unlawful entry of a vehicle for committing an indictable offence at night with violence while armed.

He was sentenced to three years’ jail with parole eligibility from September 5, 2024. The term was added onto another sentence due to expire in 2025.