Gundy hotel splattered with blood after teen robbery

A teenager who pressed a knife to a Toowoomba Uber driver’s chest, robbing the man of his car, has been sentenced for the crime, as well as another robbery he was involved in which left a man with life-threatening injuries.

Adolescent threatening a group with a knife. Photo: File.

A regional Queensland teenager who was involved in a violent hotel room invasion in the border town of Goondiwindi and a knifepoint carjacking in Toowoomba has pleaded guilty to the crimes.

When the now 17-year-old boy was sentenced before the Children's Court of Queensland in Toowoomba on Friday, August 23, the court was told he was on bail conditions for robbing an Uber driver at knifepoint when the violent Goondiwindi robbery occurred.

Despite the order breach, the court was told the teen had no prior convictions nor terms of detention.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley said the first robbery occurred at Cranley, Toowoomba, on October 21, 2023, and the boy had acted alone.

The court was told the teen ordered an Uber, and when the driver arrived, he went to the driver’s side window and pressed a knife to the man’s chest.

The driver fled out of the vehicle via the passenger door.

Soon after the car was located, tracking the victim’s phone which had been left in the car, about 7km away.

Ms Coley said police arrested and charged the teen more than a week later, where he was released on bail after spending a night in the watch-house.

Three weeks later a group of young men kicked their way into a motel at Goondiwindi and seriously assaulted a man before stealing his belongings and a car.

Ms Coley said the teen was waiting nearby in a stolen car, noting he was aware one of the alleged co-offenders was armed with a box cutter and told him he was willing to use it.

The court was told the victim, who had been in bed inside the motel, received multiple stab wounds in the hand and wrist area where it hit an artery and caused him to bleed profusely.

If it weren’t for emergency intervention, the court was told he could have died.

The man’s car was later found burnt-out across the border in Boggabilla.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC told the teenager that both of the violent robberies had significant impacts on the victims, their families, and their livelihoods.

He said he hoped it had been a “wake-up call,” that the teen can’t control what his friends do, and that he could have been criminally liable for the man’s death.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC.

Barrister Nathan Edridge said the extremely remorseful teen was not told about the extent of the man’s injuries and he was physically shaken when he found out.

Mr Edridge said following the violent robbery, the teen spent a confronting and solitary 95 days in pre-sentence custody and had not reoffended since.

At the time of the offences, Mr Edridge said the teen had relapsed and began using meth, which fuelled the offending.

Mr Edridge said he had been living with his mother in an unstable environment however he has since moved in with his incredibly supportive and involved father.

He said the young man had turned a corner, noting he was no longer using drugs and was working full time, sometimes 70 hours a week.

Judge Horneman-Wren said the boy’s court report showed he complied 100 per cent with all directions and orders since being released on bail, stating it was the best report he had seen in decades.

The Toowoomba court house.

He told the teen the community took no comfort in knowing the crimes were drug-related, noting it was “absolutely” terrifying behaviour, and urged the teen to stay away from meth.

The Darling Downs teenager pleaded guilty to unlawful entry of a car with intent while armed and threatening violence, unlawful use, break and enter with intent at night in company while armed, using a stolen car during the commission of a crime, and robbery armed in company with wounding.

He was placed on a 15-month probation order and restorative justice order.

No conviction was recorded.