Addict was ‘desperate’ at time of robbery

A MAN on a drug bender who hadn’t slept for days took a cheese knife into a supermarket and asked for its “cheapest carton of cigarettes” before robbing the store.

Prosecutor Emily Coley told Southport District Court Jesse Craig Jarrett went into the Drakes Supermarket at Ormeau on December 14 last year and asked for “the cheapest carton of cigarettes”.

“That was retrieved from a safe in the backroom where they were kept locked,” she said. When he was told the carton was $236 carton he said he had forgotten his wallet and he would be back. The carton was placed under the counter, and the court heard Jarrett instead returned with a knife.

Ms Coley said Jarrett lifted his shirt, revealing the handle of what he told police was a cheese knife, and said “you should give it to me”.

The court heard Jarrett took off with the cigarettes but was found by police 30 minutes later. He told officers he robbed the store “as he did not wish to pay”.

He expressed remorse and said he made a stupid decision

Jarrett pleaded guilty to armed robbery, and two drug offences. He was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole.

Judge Catherine Muir said it seemed out of character.

“This behaviour was quite unsophisticated … and also reflects you were quite desperate at the time. But it was most brazen and left the complainant feeling frightened and with some anxiety issues,” she said.

Defence barrister Nicholas McGhee said Jarrett had several successful jobs, but the breakdown of a relationship saw his life spiral into drug use.

Mr McGhee said Jarrett began injecting drugs and lost “absolutely everything”.

“He was on methamphetamine at the time of the offence,” he said. Mr McGhee said Jarrett, in hindsight, thought the offence made absolutely no sense to him. “He does recall at the time him being awake for a number of days,” Mr McGhee said.

Jarrett has spent 198 days in custody and was now clean from drugs, the court heard.