Boronia carpenter Rick James Young pleads guilty, jailed for Ferntree Gully armed robbery
A Boronia man whose right arm was almost completely severed during a brutal home invasion tomahawk attack has ended up robbing a man at knifepoint just a few weeks later. Now, due to his wounds, he relies on his cellmate to help him eat.
Outer East
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A Boronia chippy who almost lost a limb in a tomahawk attack during a home invasion has been jailed for armed robbery.
Rick James Young, 36, pleaded guilty to one charge of armed robbery and was sentenced to a maximum three years in prison with two years non-parole at the County Court on September 29.
The court heard after suffering life-threatening injuries in a brutal home invasion, where his right arm was almost completely severed, Young helped rob a man in Ferntree Gully.
The 36-year-old and another unknown attacker threatened their victim with knives after demanding the man’s wallet on Bourke St in Ferntree Gully, just before 2am, Thursday, March 11.
Magistrate Rachelle Lewitan said when the victim refused, Young and the other person pulled out knives and demanded the man’s backpack, wallet and mobile phone.
The court heard the man handed over the items before the other offender held a knife to the victim’s neck and demanded the phone’s PIN.
The pair then made off with the man’s wallet, including ID cards, a licence, bank cards, a backpack, screwdriver set, other tools and a puffer vest.
The court heard the offenders walked to a red Holden Commodore, and told the victim “not to call the f**king jacks”, before driving off.
Court documents reveal Young was arrested at his home on Stradbroke Rd, Boronia, by Knox police detectives at 6.55am on Friday, March 20.
When police raided Young’s house they discovered the victim’s licence and a grey Razor brand folding pocket knife.
In court Ms Lewitan read out details about Young’s personal history and situation leading up to the armed robbery – some of which were gruesome.
The court heard Young descended into drug taking from the age of 13, which evolved into the then teen using heroin and ice after falling in with older “unsavoury” friends.
He dropped out of Ferntree Gully High at the end of Year 9 to complete an apprenticeship in carpentry, but hasn’t been able to maintain a job since because of his addiction issues.
The court heard only weeks before the armed robbery, Young had been the victim of a violent home invasion on February 4, where he sustained “horrific” injuries and spent three weeks in hospital recovering.
Documents reveal Young was attacked with a tomahawk and golf club, with the attackers almost completely severing the man’s right arm, and cutting off several fingers.
Young was hit so badly to the back of his head in that attack, he went into a coma and suffered fractures to the back of his neck.
After being rushed to The Alfred hospital, doctors managed to reattach Young’s arm and all fingers except his pinky.
The court heard Young now has limited use of his arm and reattached fingers, and suffers from numbness in his forearm and hand.
Documents revealed at the time of the hearing, Young relied on his cellmate to help him eat because he has limited use of his hand and arm.
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