Kenneth Ian Allan Burke in Rockhampton court for attempted armed robbery

A Central Queensland father was abusing drugs and alcohol and playing Grand Theft Auto when he and another person devised a plan to rob a service station on the Capricorn Coast.

BP Service Station in Yeppoon. Picture: Google Maps

A Central Queensland father was abusing drugs and alcohol and playing Grand Theft Auto when he and another person devised a plan to rob a service station on the Capricorn Coast.

The District Court in Rockhampton heard Kenneth Ian Allan Burke, 26, rode on a motorcycle with another person to the BP Service Station at Yeppoon on January 20 at 2.45am.

Crown prosecutor Ken Spinaze said Burke had armed himself with a 17cm-long hunting knife and was wearing dark clothes with a cloth wrapped around his face.

Mr Spinaze said Burke approached a 49-year-old employee who was manning the counter, pointed the knife at him and said, “give me all your s—t”.

He said the worker responded, “like hell”, before pressing the duress button and locking himself in the office.

Mr Spinaze said Burke didn’t persist with the robbery and fled the petrol station.

He said the worker was able to see the motorcycle drive away from the service station and noted the number plate.

Mr Spinaze said Burke initially tried to mislead police by lying to them and saying he was the driver, however he accepted the change in roles when confronted with the CCTV footage.

Defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said his client, who ran his own yard maintenance business, grew up in Mount Isa and started using marijuana and drinking alcohol in his teenage years.

Mr Ahlstrand said his client was affected by marijuana and alcohol at the time of committing the offence.

He said there was no actual violence and that his client claimed he had been clean from drugs since committing the offence.

Mr Ahlstrand said his client had been diagnosed with depression.

He said his client’s grandfather had died on January 12 and that he had started drinking alcohol, committing the offence eight days later.

Burke pleaded guilty to one count of attempted armed robbery.

Judge Jeff Clarke sentenced him to two years and six months prison with parole release on June 17, 2024, and declared four days of pre-sentence custody as time already served.

Originally published as Kenneth Ian Allan Burke in Rockhampton court for attempted armed robbery