Mitchell Cahill, Zachary Scoble: Violent carjackers rob homeless
A pregnant Bendigo woman was kicked out of her car by masked men who violently robbed her and her partner of their “home, sense of security and means of travel”.
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A pregnant Bendigo woman was kicked out of her car by masked men who violently robbed her and her partner of their “home, sense of security and means of travel”.
Mitchell Cahill, 21, and Zachary Scoble, 25, will soon walk out of prison for their role in an armed tomahawk ambush of a homeless couple in a sentence a Victorian Judge described as “unorthodox” and “lenient”.
Cahill and Scoble were sentenced by the Victoria County Court on Friday after pleading guilty to ambushing Tayla Wells and Edward Power-Hall and stealing their ute.
The court heard the homeless Bendigo couple were left grazed and bleeding in a park after the masked men armed with tomahawk and a knife robbed them of everything they owned.
The couple were living out of her white Holden Crewman utility, and all their belongings were in a tent stored in their ute.
Prosecutor Michael Kek said Scoble was the ringleader and “instigator” of the plot to rob Ms Wells and Mr Power-Hall over a debt owed to his friend.
Court documents said Scoble targeted Ms Wells and Mr Power-Hall “cause they ripped a couple of other mates”.
Cahill and Scoble used their friend, John Bartels, to lure the homeless couple to the Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo under the guise of a drug deal in the early hours of Tuesday February 18, 2020.
The court heard Scoble was wearing a balaclava, while Cahill covered his face with a bandana.
Mr Kek said Scobe’s weapon of choice was a “terrifying” tomahawk and Cahill armed himself with a fishing knife.
The pair snuck up on the car’s driver and passenger side doors before Scoble smashed the windscreen and windows on the car with the small axe.
Ms Wells tried to drive off, but their co-accused Bartels pulled the handbrake on and told them to shut up.
Scoble reached through the smashed driver’s side window and took the keys out of the ignition.
Scoble and Cahill yelled at their victims to get out of the car.
Ms Wells pleaded with her attackers not to do it, and Bartels said “sorry, but I have to otherwise I will get killed”.
Ms Wells sustained cuts to her hands from the shattered glass and grazes to her knees from falling as she exited her vehicle.
Police tracked down the stolen ute, as well as personal belongings from the couple, in Cahill’s Chum St garage at 11.20am
Both men were on a community corrections order when they attacked the couple.
Judge Gamble said both men grew up in Bendigo, Cahill in a supportive home while Scoble’s childhood was marred by domestic violence.
Both men had underlying mental health issues, and ice addictions had contributed to their criminal past.
Judge Gamble said the young fathers had provided consistent clean drug tests while in custody and had both attended drug courses.
He said their time on remand and separation from loved ones was “onerous” for the men, particularly with the death of Scoble’s brother from a heroin overdose while he was in custody.
In August Bartels pleaded guilty for his role and was sentenced to 540 days in prison, already served, and a two-year community corrections order.
Judge Mark Gamble said he believed Bartells sentence was “unorthodox”, “manifestly inadequate” and “generous”, as it did not take into account the two victims were injured in the robbery.
Judge Gamble said the “unique” sentence for their co-accused meant he was forced to be lenient on the violent pair.
He said he was cautious not to let the lighter punishment become an “affront to justice”.
On Friday October 8 Cahill was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison, with 598 days already served, and a non-parole period of two years.
Scoble was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with 598 days served, with a non-parole period of 10 months.
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