Jailed after city centre knife havoc

A YOUNG woman has been jailed for terrorising traders and customers with knives during a half-hour of madness in central Geelong.

Samantha McCumber had only been released from Geelong hospital 10 minutes before she ventured into Little Malop St and wreaked havoc at four hospitality businesses.

She tried to rob two of the workplaces while holding a knife and, at one stage, used a butter knife to attack a couple who had been eating dinner.

The 22-year-old was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty at the County Court to two charges of attempted armed robbery and five counts of unlawful assault.

McCumber also pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempted theft.

The court heard the events on March 14 this year came after the Geelong woman was taken to hospital for a mental health assessment.

She was meant to be kept under observation at the hospital, but was discharged without treatment after abusing staff and following the attendance of psychiatric triage personnel.

Sentencing judge Susan Cohen said McCumber would have been in a “disturbed” state as she left the hospital and walked towards Little Malop St.

Shortly before 7pm, a shoeless McCumber entered Geelong Cellar Door, armed herself with a large kitchen knife and demanded money.

She was disarmed and left, however walked to Pistol Pete’s and tried to steal a tipjar.

When that proved unsuccessful, McCumber ventured inside Shiraaz Indian restaurant, damaged a counter and produced a butter knife.

She demanded all of the money in the cash register, prompting a customer to intervene.

McCumber thrust the knife towards the man’s chest several times, before running it across the forearm of a woman who had been eating dinner with him.

The couple were uninjured and McCumber left towards

There There Cocktail Bar where, still armed with the butter knife, she threatened two staff members, telling them: “You and you, dead.”

McCumber was arrested in Johnstone Park a short time later and told police she wanted to go to jail.

Judge Cohen said while McCumber’s actions seemed to be spontaneous, they had still caused shock and fear.

“None of the victims deserved to be confronted or frightened by you,” she said.

The court heard McCumber had long-established intellectual and psychological conditions, while Judge Cohen said she assessed the woman’s moral culpability as significantly lower than the average person.

“I think after all I have learnt about you, that I understand that sometimes you become so desperate and upset that you just do not think what you are doing, and it is a cry for help what you do,” Judge Cohen said.

With time already served, McCumber will be due for release next month.