Machete man in court for robbery ‘I’m taking what I am owed and leaving’
AN aggrieved employee who was caught in the act of siphoning fuel out of his ex-employer’s vehicle confronted two men at the scene with a machete.
Justin Wayne Richards, 30, had travelled to Mt Isa from his home in New South Wales to start a new job at Qcrush.
The Townsville District Court heard the job fell through and Richards was stranded in Mt Isa.
On November 24 last year, Richards drove to his ex-employer’s accommodation block and gained entry through a locked gate by using a key.
He managed to hook up a hose to siphon diesel fuel into a plastic bottle.
The court heard there were two people staying at the accommodation block who overheard Richards say on the phone: “They screwed me and now I am going to screw them.”
“I can’t leave town because I don’t have enough money or fuel. I drove 2000km for this. I am taking what I am owed and then I am leaving town.”
The court heard the witnesses called two employees of Qcrush to report the incident.
When the two employees arrived at the accommodation block, Richards produced a machete from a sheath and pointed it at the chest of one of the men.
Crown prosecutor Molly Mahlouzarides tendered two photographs of the machete to the court. Ms Mahlouzarides said the offence was “not a conventional robbery” as Richards did not target a vulnerable victim but there had been some degree of planning.
Police were called and Richards was arrested at the scene.
The court heard police searched Richards and he was found to be in possession of 3g of cannabis.
Richards pleaded guilty to four charges, including one count of robbery armed/in company/wounded/used personal violence.
Defence barrister Dane Marley argued his client’s actions were out of desperation.
“The motivation for committing this offence is he was dismissed from Qcrush and was owed money and went to the workplace to steal fuel,” he said.
“He was in Mt Isa and needed means to make his way back home.
“And when he was confronted he did use a minor degree of force.”
Mr Marley told the court the reason his client was carrying a machete was he had received death threats from appearing as a witness for a murder trial.
Judge Gregory Lynham told Richards his actions were a “gross over-reaction”.
Richards was sentenced to two years’ jail, suspended after 206 days, with an operational period of three years.
Convictions were recorded.