Grant Allen Smith lured armed robbery victim with drugs and sex

A ‘prolific offender’ with 15 stints in jail was on parole when he unleashed a horrifying armed attack on his victim ruining the man’s job, marriage and security.

Picture: Savusia Konstantin

A “prolific offender” on parole lured a man with the promise of drugs and a sexual encounter only to smash his face with a torch and steal his car and wallet.

The car was later found smashed into a tree without its licence plate with Rockhampton District Court on March 29 hearing the victim ended up losing his identity documents, job, marriage, and his home.

The 42-year-old offender, Grant Allen Smith, had been on parole at the time when he unleashed the horrifying attack on his Middle Eastern victim.

The court heard Smith had earlier been sentenced for dangerously operating a motor vehicle on the Bruce Highway at Raglan where he drove over double white lines and onto on the wrong side of the road towards oncoming traffic, sped, and drove through traffic lights and roadworks.

Judge Jeff Clarke said Smith’s latest “serious criminal escapade” happened just three months after he was released from jail.

He said Smith and his 18-year-old female accomplice had met the victim at a friend’s place.

Smith later lured him, using the woman’s phone, to a Berserker residence to consume drugs “with a hint of a sexual encounter” and told him to bring money.

When the 30-year-old victim entered the house, Smith hit him in the face with a torch and threatened him by telling him he had served 18 years in prison.

Smith then hit his victim a second time when he would not provide the passcode to his phone.

He then stole the man’s car keys, and having retrieved a wallet from the car, told the victim he knew his home address and would get his mate’s “on to him” if he dared phone the police.

Armed with the gun close to the victim, Smith then made what Judge Clarke described as the “most chilling threat”, telling his victim: “If I go to jail because of this, this will come to you c--t.”

The court heard the victim suffered a swollen cheekbone and splits to his eyebrow and was able to identify his attacker from a photo board “perhaps from (his) distinctive facial tattoos”.

“He says he does not feel safe living in Queensland any more,” Judge Clarke said.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said Smith, an only child and raised primarily by his mother, had been using drugs – methamphetamines on and off – since he was 15 years old.

Smith, who has had 15 stints in prison, pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery with violence.

He was sentenced to six years in jail which he will start serving after the dangerous operation sentence.

He is eligible for parole from May 12, 2024.

Originally published as Grant Allen Smith lured armed robbery victim with drugs and sex