Two juveniles plead guilty to armed robbery at Stockland Rockhampton
A victim of two teens who have pleaded guilty to his armed robbery has revealed he is scared to go out at night, as a court also heard the pair have a combined 300 prior offences on their criminal records.
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Two juvenile criminals on the cusp of adulthood who have racked up a total 300 offences combined on their criminal records are waiting to find out if their last sentences as children will see convictions recorded against them for armed robbery together at Stockland Rockhampton.
The 17 year olds, who will be referred to as Jack* and David*, both pleaded guilty in July to armed robbery in company in the Rockhampton District Court, the court heard on August 6.
Crown prosecutor Tessa Wormsley said the defendants approached two boys they knew in the Stockland Rockhampton carpark about 7.20pm on November 1, 2023.
“The boys had expensive mountain bikes,” she said.
Ms Wormsley said the defendants grabbed the bikes and Jack reached into his shirt, pretending to be armed, and said “do you want to get shanked, c***?”
“The victims felt threatened and backed off,” she said.
Judge Jeff Clarke read a victim impact statement from one of the boys out to David in court.
In it, the victim says what happened has impacted his mental health and his hobbies.
“Ever since what happened that night I’ve been incredibly anxious and weary when outside in public spaces at night,” he wrote in his statement.
“I’m scared to go out at night and I feel as though everyone is watching me or someone could walk up to me and steal something from me at any minute.
“I used to like going out and riding my bike with my friends at night, however, I’m scared to go out at night.
“I feel like I always need to look behind me and to steer clear of anyone who walks by me at night.
“What once was an enjoyable hobby has turned into something I may never want to do again just out of sheer fear and anxiety that something bad will happen.”
Ms Wormsley said after the threat, the defendants took off with the bikes and were located by police an hour later at a Kawana residence.
David fled when police arrived and Jack hid behind a door, the court heard.
Jack was taken into custody and David allegedly went on to continue offending and is accused of stealing an iPad from a portable office in Norman Gardens with a different co-accused on December 8.
Ms Wormsley said the boys ran away and at one point when a worker saw them called out to them and they stopped, “puffed up their bodies” with intent to punch the worker before this second worker grabbed David’s co-offender.
She said David allegedly threw a bottle at this worker’s head, smashing it against his hard hat.
“They subsequently ran away with the iPad,” Ms Wormsley said.
She said a worker followed them in a car while on the phone to emergency services and the boys allegedly threw rocks at the vehicle, causing a window and mirror to smash.
David was arrested the next day.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery in company, one of enter premises with intent, one common assault, one wilful damage two of serious assault with aggravated circumstances and assaulting a detention centre officer.
She said Jack was still subject of a detention order when the boys allegedly committed the Stockland armed robbery.
Ms Wormsley has asked Judge Clarke to record convictions and make Serial Repeat Offender declarations for both Jack and David.
The court heard Jack uses methamphetamines and told a presentence report writer the pair had gone out that night with the intention of robbing someone.
Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said Jack’s motivation for the offending was to pay for the motel he was living in and drugs.
Judge Clarke has adjourned Jack’s sentencing part heard until Wednesday and David’s to Friday.
* The Morning Bulletin has changed the names of the defendants as they cannot be identified by law because they are under the age of 18.
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Originally published as Two juveniles plead guilty to armed robbery at Stockland Rockhampton
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