Bank robber Jason Comer goes to the Court of Appeal over sentence

A career crook who terrorised staff and customers with a firearm during a bank heist has gone to Victoria’s highest court to lower his 13-year prison term.

Jason Comer has failed in a bid to have his 13-year prison term or armed robbery reduced. Picture: Facebook.

A career crook serving a 13-year stint behind bars for a shotgun-toting bank heist that left his victims fearing for their lives has had his bid to appeal his sentence rejected at the state’s highest court.

Jason Comer went to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal his sentence that he described as “manifestly excessive” on the basis that more lenient sentences had been imposed on him for similar offending in the past.

Comer was found guilty by a jury in County Court in April 2024 of stealing $2500 in coins from the Bendigo Bank in Geelong West in April 2021.

With his face covered by sunglasses and a black surgical mask, Comer pointed a sawn-off shotgun – concealed in an Aldi shopping bag – at a female bank staff member and yelled “Give me your f----n’ money’, followed by “C’mon, hurry up”.

Career armed robber Jason Comer robbed the Bendigo Bank in Geelong West, just 16 months after being released from prison.

He then grabbed the three money bags and drove off in a Holden Commodore.

The bank could not open the week following the robbery and one staff member quit, partly due to the impact the heist had on him.

Comer’s non parole was set at 10 years. The Court of Appeal heard that prior to his sentencing for the bank robbery, Comer had committed 18 armed robberies.

In his application for leave to appeal, he argued that he had never received a sentence of more than six years for similar offending which made the present sentence “too long”.

Justice Rowena Orr said lesser terms of imprisonment did not deter Comer from continuing to commit armed robberies and that just 16 months after being released from jail, he robbed Bendigo Bank.

“The very high maximum penalty demonstrates how seriously the offence is to be viewed, in light of both the harm it causes to those who are directly affected by armed robberies and the great disquiet such events cause in the wider community,” Associate Judge Orr said.