Teens’ terrify staff at a Queensland shop for $1000

THREE teens wielding a machete, steel bar and knife, terrified staff at a Queensland IGA store, demanding hundreds in cash.

THE schoolboys threatened staff including a teenage shop assistant at the store in Goodna, Queensland until more than $1000 was handed over.

When looking at CCTV footage of the incident, Ipswich judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC agreed with the District Court Crown prosecutor that the three youths walked into the Goodna IGA supermarket “in a blitz”.

“They (staff) were obviously terrified by your actions. As judges, it’s not usual that we see the faces of the people you terrorised,” he told the three silent lads seated in the dock.

Aged 16 and 15, the offenders still attend the same high school. Crown prosecutor Clayton Wallis described them as being “all youthful first-time offenders”, their actions an apparent aberration.

All three pleaded guilty to committing armed robbery in company, when armed with dangerous instruments at the IGA store on August 25, 2017.

Mr Wallis said they wore disguises and were armed. When they entered the supermarket in a blitz, they peeled off.

One jumped the counter wielding a steel pole while two went down the aisle to the deli and “corralled” other staff bringing them to the counter.

A customer who briefly followed them when they left, threw a food tin.

Mr Wallis said the can may have struck one as he was seen to limp.

The lads were found soon after by police and were in possession of a machete and knives.

Two of the shamed teens kept their heads down in the dock and did not watch the video of their armed robbery.

Mr Wallis described what the 16-year-old girl working behind the counter told police that night, saying she’d broken down crying.

Shaking so badly, she couldn’t stand and fell to the floor.

Judge Horneman-Wren said he could see the horror on the faces of the staff, the victims.

“This was something that will stay with them for some time,” Mr Wallis said.

“The level of planning belies their young years. It was deliberate conduct. They disguised themselves. It was (akin to) divide and conquer, a level of sophistication.

“They are fortunate to be under the Youth Justices Act so detention (jail) is a last resort. Their rehabilitation is at the forefront of sentencing considering their youth.”

The Crown sought supervised probation for up to three years that would assist in keeping them out of trouble.

One of the three had made an early plea demonstrating some latent insight, and also wrote a letter of apology.

One offender was New Zealand-born.

Judge Horneman-Wren said they acted as a gang and chose a soft target, the victims of their attack were ordinary people simply trying to earn an honest living.

“They were confronted by a pack of young hoodlums brandishing weapons,” he said.

For their role, two of the schoolboys were sentenced to two-year probation.

The third, who immediately co-operated with police, received a 21-month probation.

No convictions were recorded.

Judge Horneman-Wren, said: “I hope this experience makes you really grow up.”

This article was originally published in the Sunshine Coast Daily and is republished with permission.