Jason Roberts to serve no extra time over armed robberies

Jason Roberts has learned his punishment over a series of robberies committed with killer Bandali Debs, bringing an end to a 24-year saga.

Jason Roberts will not spend another day in jail after being sentenced to six years and six months in prison over a series of armed robberies he committed with serial killer Bandali Debs 24-years ago.

Roberts, who pleaded guilty to 10 armed robberies he committed in 1998, was set free from the Supreme Court sentencing hearing having already spent 22-years in prison for a crime he was acquitted of in July this year — the murders of police officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller in 1998.

In handing down his sentence, Justice Stephen Kaye said it was a “unique” circumstance, setting an “academic” non-parole period of four years.

Roberts pleaded guilty to 10 armed robberies he committed in 1998. Picture: Tony Gough

Roberts, 42, was arrested as a 19-year-old over the Silk-Miller murders in August 2000.

Justice Kaye considered his 8001 days in prison as pre-sentence detention.

Justice Kaye said he accepted that Roberts was remorseful over his role in the armed robberies.

Debs recruited Roberts as a teenager to become his armed robbery accomplice after the youth began dating his daughter, Nicole.

During the series of stick-ups on retail stores, fast-food outlets and Asian restaurants, the pair, wearing masks, instilled fear in their victims by pointing guns at them and shouting threats before tying them up, stealing wallets and jewellery and taking money from the cash register.

Justice Kaye said the armed robberies constituted “serious offending” and had a profound impact on the victims.

He said there were however mitigating circumstances in Roberts’s case, including his guilty plea, remorse and the two decade delay in his prosecution.

He also noted Roberts’s age at the time the offences took place and the influence of Debs.

He added that Roberts’ psychological health had deteriorated, having spent two decades in prison on murder charges he was ultimately acquitted of.

Roberts was released from bail and walked from the court a free man ending, a 24-year saga.