Young man sentenced after shooting in Rocklea Hotel

A young Brisbane man has been jailed for attempting to rob two pubs where shots were fired.

A young Brisbane man has been jailed for attempting to rob two pubs where shots were fired.

Cody Niewand, 23, faced two counts of attempted robbery whilst armed in company, one count each of attempted robbery whilst armed with actual violence, attempted to enter premises and commit an indictable offence by break and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He pleaded guilty to all charges in Beenleigh District Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that the then 21-year-old who was on parole at the time of the offending went through the front door of Rocklea Hotel in Brisbane with his alleged co-offenders and pointed a gun at the security guard in October 2023.

The group discharged the firearm about the glass window, before telling the security guard to get on the ground, with one firing another shot as another suggested to hit him in his head.

The group then went to Park Ridge Tavern in Logan and allegedly pointed the guns at another security guard, asking him about money which he replied he did not know where it was.

The group again asked him to get on the floor before attempting to enter a room where they believed the money was in, but it was locked.

They fled the scene while stepping over the security guard upon an unsuccessful attempt of discharging their weapons.

The group also pointed the guns towards two civilians while they were trying to enter a nearby service station before striking the window of the locked store.

Neither of the security guards was severely injured in the incidents.

Cody Niewand was sentenced to jail after attempting to rob Rocklea Hotel and Park Ridge Tavern on October 13, 2023. Picture: Facebook photo uploaded in 2017.

The court was told Niewand had some difficulties in the relationship with his mother and began to use substances since his teenage days, but he confessed his crime to her which assisted the prosecution with facilitating the facts.

Judge Dzenita Balic said the firearms were discharged twice and found it a very dangerous act.

“The events were clearly planned, considering their intent of execution,” she said.

“The use of a loaded firearm in the context of the commission of a criminal offence carries incredible risks of injury or death.

“Security guards were at inherent risk within that context. You showed very little regard for either of their safety.

“You didn’t end up stealing anything, but that’s simply because you were incompetent, not because you didn’t try.”

She sentenced Niewand to six years in prison but granted him parole eligibility on November 5 after declaring his 494 days in pre-sentence custody as served.

Originally published as Young man sentenced after shooting in Rocklea Hotel