More jail time for robber

A TOOWOOMBA man who has spent just four months out of jail since 2016 has been sentenced to almost eight years more for the attempted armed robbery of the Federal Hotel.

For the fifth time in a row, Kepler Dennis Hood spent his birthday in jail when he celebrated turning 37 in January.

He and a co-offender disguised themselves and went to the Federal Hotel armed with guns about 4.20am on May 10 in 2019 with the intention of robbing the pub, Toowoomba District Court heard.

However, when they were disturbed by the hotel manager, Hood chased him out of the pub into the carpark where he fired a gunshot, Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie said.

The hotel manager fell over and broke his leg when fleeing the intruders, she said.

Hood and his accomplice left empty-handed and the car they had fled in was later found torched, the court heard.

Three hours earlier, Hood and two others had broken into the United service station in Cambooya and ransacked an office, damaged an electrical box and tried to smash their way into an ATM.

But for some blocks of chocolate Hood took on the way out, the trio left empty-handed, Ms Petrie said.

When arrested at a Rockville home days later, he was found to have a bag containing 33g of meth in his bum and a stolen gold ring in his jocks.

For those offences he was sentenced to five-and-half years in jail.

He was on parole, a suspended sentence and probation when he tried to rob the Federal Hotel.

Ms Petrie said Hood had 14 pages of criminal history.

Hood pleaded guilty to all charges relating to the Federal Hotel and the Cambooya service station.

His barrister Jessica Goldie told the court it was tragic that her client got his life back on track while in jail but when back in the community found he couldn’t cope and descended into meth use.

Judge Katherine McGuinness sentenced Hood to seven years and nine months in jail but ordered he be eligible to apply for release on parole as of November 27, 2022.

Should he not get parole, Hood’s full-time release date will be May 7, 2029.