Tomahawk thug Dean Wittenberg pleads guilty to Mt Waverley attempted armed robbery
A tomahawk-wielding thug was on an early-morning prowl hunting soft targets in Mt Waverley when he menaced and demanded cash from a 73-year-old newspaper delivery man only to flee empty-handed when his quick-thinking victim fought back.
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A tomahawk-wielding thug menaced an elderly newspaper delivery man during an early morning holdup in Mt Waverley, a court has heard.
Dean Wittenberg, 38, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Monday to attempted armed robbery.
Wittenberg menaced his 73-year-old victim outside Pinewood Authorised Newsagency just before 5am on January 27 this year.
Wittenberg demanded cash from his victim who had been loading his car for the morning paper run.
“I want $400 or I’m taking the car,” Wittenberg said.
The victim refused the brute’s demands, telling Wittenberg he had no money.
“I just work here mate,” the victim said.
Wittenberg raised the tomahawk over his head in a “threatening manner”, jumped in the victim’s car and revved the engine.
The victim sought help from two men also working at the Pinewood shopping village newsagency.
The two men, one armed with a golf club and the other with a metal pole, confronted Wittenberg but he wouldn’t leave.
One of the men filmed Wittenberg and called police so the mad dog menace barked at his victim.
“I will remember you, cancel the cops, I’m leaving,” he said.
The victim and the two men followed Wittenberg along Blackburn Rd to Marcella Crt.
Police arrived less than 10 minutes later.
Wittenberg — who lived across the road from the newsagency — was found by a police dog lying in the backyard of a Marcella Crt home just before 5.30am.
Police recovered the tomahawk and Wittenberg was charged and remanded later that day.
The court heard Wittenberg was on a community correction order at the time of the attempted armed robbery.
Wittenberg’s lawyer submitted his client should be given time served with a CCO but Judge Michael Bourke questioned whether a longer jail sentence was appropriate.
He said Wittenberg’s victim was a “soft target”.
“This was a nasty event, the weapon was particularly threatening,” Judge Bourke said.
“I’m not sure six months (jail time) is enough.
“It’s unsurprising (the victim) said he was ‘very frightened’.
“It’s not at the lowest end, it was dark … all of a sudden he is approached by this man, acting strangely.
“Armed robbery as a profession has taken a sad decline.”
Wittenberg, who appeared via videolink from Marngoneet Correctional Centre, will be sentenced on August 11.
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