Southland shopper, pregnant woman targeted by callous carjacker in horrifying late-night hits
A Westfield Southland shopper and a pregnant woman were among a number of innocent victims to be shaken by ice-fuelled carjacker Joshua Kirby during a late night spree. And the thug had only just been released from jail for other callous crimes.
South East
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A Westfield Southland shopper was left so traumatised after a terrifying late night carjacking that she struggles to sleep and is scared of taking the bins out, a court has heard.
The woman was alone as she loaded her shopping into her car parked at the Cheltenham centre about 10.40pm on November 29 when ice addict Joshua Kirby, 28, snuck up on her and demanded her keys.
Kirby had only been out of jail for six months when he said “excuse me” and slid his hand into his jacket, convincing his victim he was armed.
The victim was so frightened she didn’t know if she was pushed or fell to the ground before the unlicensed driver snatched her keys and sped off toward Nepean Hwy in her Rav 4.
The brazen hit was just the beginning of an ice-fuelled spree that landed Kirby back behind bars for at least another two years, after he pleaded guilty to a plethora of charges including carjacking, possess drug of dependence and unlawful assault in the County Court.
Less than an hour after the Southland attack, a woman was left shocked after Kirby smashed into the back of her car that was stopped at the intersection of Warrigal and Dandenong roads at Oakleigh, before driving off.
The spineless crim then pulled into 7-Eleven petrol station on South Gippsland Hwy at Cranbourne North before punching a man in the face who was filling up his car on about 12.20am on November 30.
“(The victim) punched you back and told you that if you touched his car, he would call the police,” Judge John Carmody said.
Five minutes later, Kirby was lucky not to kill a woman and her unborn child as well as her husband, when he slammed into their Subaru which was stopped at the intersection of the South Gippsland Hwy and Courtenay Ave.
“You have immediately got out of the Rav 4 and approached the front of (the victim’s) car and punched the windscreen on the driver’s side, causing it to shatter. You were yelling and swearing and moved quickly to the driver’s door,” Mr Carmody said.
“You opened the driver’s door and grabbed (the woman) with both of your hands and tried to drag her out of the car. She leant back and tried to fight you off.”
Her husband heard Kirby yell ‘I’m going to kill you’ before yanking his wife’s hair and dragging her to the ground.
Police caught up with Kirby after he crashed the stolen Subaru into a power pole on Iverness Rd in Mt Evelyn about 2.15am.
A bag of ice was found in his clothing as well as a meat cleaver in the Rav 4.
In victim impact statements, one of the women said she was left unable to sleep and scared of taking out the bins while the 7-Eleven victim was fearful of attending petrol stations.
Mr Carmody said Kirby, who grew up in Swan Hill, served three years following an armed robbery and was released six months prior to the November 29 spree.
His rap sheet dates back to May 2011 and included violence, property damage and drug use.
“You are an Aboriginal man of the Wemba-Wemba and Watta-Watta people … you clearly have strong family support from (your sister) and your parents,” Mr Carmody said.
“Your sister gave evidence that when you are not drug affected, you are a kind, thoughtful and knowledgeable man.
“You are not welcome back at Swan Hill until you clean up your addiction problem, was the message your sister was giving me.”
Kirby was sentenced to three years’ and five months’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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