Man jailed over bungled convenience store armed robbery in Melbourne’s west

An ice addict who fired off two wayward shots during a bungled armed robbery in the west has been jailed. The incident came just four months after he assaulted a man in a terrifying road rage incident in Taylors Lakes.

Generic image of a man aiming a gun.

An ice addict who fired off two wayward shots during a bungled armed robbery at an Ardeer convenience store has been jailed over the “terrifying” hold-up.

Khaled Asaad, 33, pleaded guilty to the incident in May last year in which he brandished a semiautomatic handgun at the lone store clerk and demanded cash before firing a shot at the ground.

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When the cash register wouldn’t open, Asaad bashed it with his gun causing the weapon to fire off another shot.

The County Court heard Asaad and his accomplice fled empty-handed when the shop assistant called police.

Asaad was arrested three months later after detectives linked him to the vehicle used in the attempted armed robbery.

The motor mechanic also pleaded guilty to drugs and driving charges, as well as a horrifying road rage incident in Taylors Lakes in January last year.

The court heard Asaad was driving along the Melton Hwy when he got into an altercation with another driver which resulted in Asaad’s passenger throwing his drink at the victim’s car.

When the victim threw it back, Asaad stopped the car and approached the victim, punching him in the face through the open window.

He then kicked the side door and mirror before returning to the driver’s window and hitting the man across the face three more times.

The victim received medical attention for a swollen lip and nose and chipped tooth.

Judge Paul Lacava said Asaad’s “very bad drug addiction” explained his criminal behaviour but “does not excuse it”.

“I regard the level of your offending as being most serious,” he said.

“Both you and your accomplice were wearing face masks, dark clothing, gloves and sunglasses.

“It was planned, you were armed with a gun which was twice fired … you were foiled only because the cash register would not open.”

Judge Lacava sentenced Asaad to four years’ jail.

He must serve two years and eight months before he is eligible for parole.