County Court: Drug addict Benjamin Joseph in court after robbing Terry Bateman Amcal pharmacy in Mount Martha

A man with a penchant for robbing chemists armed himself with a pair of scissors to steal drugs including Valium from a suburban pharmacy.

It's the second time Benjamin Joseph has carried out an armed robbery of a pharmacy to fuel his drug addition.

A drug-addicted father-to-be armed himself with a pair of manicure scissors to steal prescription medication including Valium from a Melbourne chemist.

Benjamin Joseph pleaded guilty in the County Court this week to a charge of armed robbery and was sentenced to a combination of jail and community corrections order.

The court heard around noon on February 21, this year, he entered the Terry Bateman Amcal Pharmacy in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula, armed with a small manicure scissors.

Waving the scissors, he entered the store’s dispensary counter and into an area intended for staff only.

He then began searching for controlled prescription medicines on the shelves.

When a staff member told him a number of times that he was not allowed in the area, Joseph said “yes I can”.

The female staff activated the emergency alarm siren and Joseph stuffed five medicinal items in his jumper and left through the rear door.

He took 30 tabs of parbezole, Valium, and other prescription drugs.

Joseph walked a short distance, cut open the blister packs, and left a number of stolen items on the ground before walking towards residential houses on Bay Rd.

Police located him crouching down behind a bush in the front of a house.

He told cops he had no recollection of what he did but apologised when shown the footage of his crime.

Joseph has applied for a place at Odyssey House to help kick his drug addiction and Judge Bayles said that was his best chance at rehabilitation.

Judge Bayles said armed robberies were inherently serious and the use of weapons completely unacceptable.

“Pharmacies, obviously involved in the sale of drugs, are inevitably targeted, and the law must protect those that work in businesses like pharmacies.”

The court heard that in 2017, Joseph was sentenced to non-parole period of 18 months for holding up the Chemmart Pharmacy in Magnet Court, Tasmania.

He produced a pocket knife during the robbery and demanded morphine from pharmacy staff.

Judge Bayles accepted defence lawyer Jacqueline Kennedy’s submission that the armed robbery was at the lower end, the scissors wasn’t brandished in any way, and Joseph left the pharmacy once he obtained the medicines.

Having been in custody for seven to eight months and most likely drug-free during that time would hopefully be a good start towards Joseph’s path to rehabilitation, Judge Bayles said.

Judge Stewart Bayles told the 29-year-old would-be father that he simply could not be an effective and responsible parent if he could not remain drug-free.

“You have the support of your parents, you are expecting the birth of your first child, and if you descend back into drugs, it could lead to further jail time,” Judge Bayles said.

Joseph was sentenced to eight months’ jail and community corrections order was imposed for two years. He was also ordered to perform 150 hours of unpaid community work and must attend treatment and rehabilitation for alcohol and drugs.

Judge Bayles made it clear that Joseph may be resentenced on the armed robbery charge if he committed any further offence in the next two years that was punishable by two years or more.