GUNMAN JAILED ON FAMILY STALKING
A Toowoomba family had a gun pulled on them by a drug addict
WHAT was a simple morning trip to the shopping centre for a Toowoomba family turned into a tense stand-off when a drug crazed man pulled a replica gun on them as they drove away from the centre.
The drug addict had then followed the family for six to seven km around the streets of Middle Ridge, blocking them off at one point, before the family drove to the police station for help. The 39-year-old offender has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail for the attempted robbery of the family but will be out in the community in December.
A DRUG addict who stalked a family in their car with a replica pistol has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
David Patrick Sjerp had approached the man and his wife and their four-year-old daughter as they drove out of The Ridge shopping centre on the morning of January 22.
As the victim man drove out of the driveway, Sjerp had pointed a replica handgun at him, Toowoomba District Court heard.
As the victims drove away, the 39-year-old had followed them on Middle Ridge streets for about six to seven kilometres, Crown Prosecutor Matt Le Grand told the court.
During the pursuit Sjerp at one point had blocked the family off in a cul-de-sac, he said.
When Sjerp drove away the family had driven to the police station to report the incident, the court heard.
Mr Le Grand said the victim had no way of knowing that the gun was a replica.
Sjerp had spent 217 days in custody since his arrest and he appeared by video link from the prison to plead guilty to attempted armed robbery.
His barrister Scott Neaves told the court his client had provided a letter of apology to the court and had since being in custody had done a Lives Lived Well course to better himself.
His client had been heavily into drugs at the time of the offence which he had taken to after a relationship breakdown and he was ashamed and embarrassed by his behaviour, he said.
Judge Tony Rafter SC sentenced Sjerp to two and a half years in jail but declaring the 10 months he had already spent in custody as time served under the sentence, ordered he be released on parole as of December 2.