Remorseless menace Vince Rigoli jailed for carjack terror of pregnant woman
A road menace terrorised a pregnant woman and put a five-year-old girl in hospital during a shocking Hume Highway rampage — but instead of copping his sentence, the remorseless thug mouthed off to a less-than-impressed magistrate.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A remorseless road menace tried to carjack a pregnant woman, put a five-year-old girl in hospital and hurtled past frightened drivers at 150kmh in a wild rampage.
Vince Rigoli’s spree lasted just 26 minutes but left a terrifying trail of destruction.
Police tried to intercept the 27-year-old after he ransacked Campbellfield car dealer Bayford Ford, where he used to work.
The disgruntled ex-employee, who had been sacked only two weeks before, put his foot down and sped along the Hume Hwy with two police cars in pursuit.
Rigoli ran a set of red lights and sped towards the Metropolitan Ring Rd where he continued driving at 150kmh.
WHERE THE RAMPAGE BEGAN
He exited at the Edgars Rd offramp, ran another set of red lights and smashed into a Dodge driven by Edmond Babatunde.
Mr Babatunde’s five-year-old daughter, who was in the car, suffered injuries and was taken to hospital.
Rigoli then ran towards a red Mazda driven by Mummy Kailie who was 13 weeks pregnant. Ms Kailie could not lock her doors due to panic.
Rigoli ripped opened the door and yelled at Ms Kailie several times to “get out of the car”.
The failed mechanic ran off when he spotted police but was arrested soon after.
Rigoli was on Friday sentenced to three years’ jail with a non-parole period of 18 months over the spree, which occurred on October 17 last year.
County Court Judge Paul Higham said Rigoli committed “utterly lawless” acts.
“You left police officers in your wake as you drove at alarming speeds through streets and red traffic signals placing other road users at risk of serious injury,” he said.
GRANNY EVIL’S UNLIKELY THANK-YOU LETTER TO GATTO
GUNMAN ON RUN AFTER PEPPERING HOME WITH BULLETS
“Such offending strikes at the heart of our community sense of wellbeing and safety.”
Rigoli mouthed off and interrupted Judge Higham towards the end of his sentencing remarks.
Judge Higham was in the middle of telling Rigoli he was “fortunate” because he was “loved” but the lippy menace yelled out he was “going to appeal the sentence”.
“Perhaps not the time to say that,” Judge Higham said.
“Sit down … I’m going to ignore this, but in the olden days, a judge may have said ‘well in that case I’m going to increase the sentence’.”
Rigoli — who pleaded guilty to several charges including dangerous driving while under police pursuit and attempted carjacking — had spent 289 days in custody when sentenced.
His licence was disqualified for two years.