Teen sentenced in Townsville District Court for driving a stolen car during string of robberies

An 18-year-old drove violent thieves around the city during a series of daylight robberies. Discover the unusual weapons his accomplices used and what mistake he made before his arrest.

An 18-year-old was the getaway driver for violent thieves who used a knife, garden shears and paint scraper to rob people

The getaway driver for a group of violent thieves watched as his accomplices robbed some of the community’s most vulnerable people, including a 75-year-old woman, in broad daylight.

An 18-year-old man appeared in Townsville District Court on Wednesday, facing charges of aiding a series of armed robberies in which victims were threatened with garden shears, a paint scraper, and a knife.

Crown prosecutor Laura Moore said that over two days in May 2024, the teen — who was 17 at the time — was the driver of a stolen silver Nissan Navara involved in a series of daylight robberies.

The offences included his co-offenders attempting to rob a Thai woman and a Taiwanese man using garden shears, stealing a 75-year-old woman’s wallet and threatening another with a paint scraper before ripping her handbag off her.

The court heard the 75-year-old woman’s wallet contained an irreplaceable gold chain that her late father had given to her which was never able to be returned.

The teen only assisted his co-offenders by driving the vehicle and did not actively participate in the robberies.

Ms Moore said the most serious offence occurred at Stockland Shopping Centre, where the teen’s co-offenders robbed a man at knifepoint and drove off in his car.

It turned into a stolen car convoy as the teen followed his co-offenders in the stolen Navara.

On the morning of the second day of offending, Ms Moore said police deployed tyre spikes, which caused the 18-year-old to crash into a light pole.

The teen drove his co-offenders to Stockland shopping people where they robbed people

“There were several offenders in the car … they all got out of the car and ran from the police,” she said.

The court heard that during the police chase, the teen jumped into the driver’s seat of someone else’s car, mistakenly believing it was empty, and accidentally sat on a man’s lap.

“When he realised there was another person in there, he again attempted to run from police, he ultimately surrendered himself.”

She also highlighted his “incredibly concerning” criminal history, which included 18 prior convictions for the unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson said adverse childhood experiences and the teen’s use of cannabis and methamphetamines had contributed to his behaviour.

He said the teen planned to move away from Townsville to live with his aunt upon release, in order to avoid his co-offenders and other negative influences.

Judge Anthony Rafter noted a custody report stating that the teen had stolen medical supplies from the correctional centre and attempted to make alcohol in his cell three times.

However, the judge acknowledged that the teen had shown remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a vehicle, armed robbery while in company, stealing, and unlawful entry of a vehicle with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The 186 days he had already spent in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served.

He was sentenced to 15 months in jail, with a release date set after serving 50 per cent of the sentence.

Convictions were not recorded.

Originally published as Teen sentenced in Townsville District Court for driving a stolen car during string of robberies