North West carjacker sentenced to prison for frightening offence

A carjacker has been sentenced to prison for stealing a woman’s car as she turned up for work in Ulverstone earlier this year. IN COURT >>

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A CARJACKER who demanded a woman’s car at knifepoint has been sent to jail while his victim has been left too scared to drive to work.

Samuel John Burrows, 24, was on Wednesday sentenced to 18 months in jail for the aggravated carjacking and associate offences including aggravated burglary – in relation to the theft of the knife used.

In sentencing in the Burnie Supreme Court, Acting Justice Shane Marshall told Burrows his actions in Ulverstone on July 1 this year had frightened a vulnerable stranger and caused her distress and financial hardship.

The court heard Burrows had been in Ulverstone about 7am that day.

He had tried to steal a car but could not start the vehicle. He broke into a house and stole a knife in a bid to get the car going.

Burrows then spotted a woman arrive in her car for work.

He put a hood over his head and pointed a knife at her demanding her car and phone.

He drove to Turner’s Beach and hid the car behind a caravan.

Burrows later handed himself into police telling them he had held the knife up to his victim to scare her but did not intend to harm her. He later pleaded guilty in court to aggravated carjacking.

But he did tell police his victim had been “scared shitless” at the time of the crime.

“The victim is now afraid to drive to work or go outside the house much at all,” Acting Justice Marshall said.

“She needs counselling but is still waiting for that care due to a lack of such services in Tasmania’s North West.”

Burrows has no history of offending and was addicted to ice at the time of the carjacking.

“That is a reason but not an excuse,” he was told in court

He was sentenced to 16 months in jail and will be eligible for parole in eight months time.