Man cannot recall trying to rob taxi

A MAN who attempted to rob a Townsville taxi driver of $90 had no recollection of the incident until his partner saw his photo on Crime Stoppers.

Joshua David Landers, 29, pleaded guilty in the Townsville District Court to one count of attempted robbery.

Crown prosecutor Ashleigh Moss told the court Landers caught a taxi from Flinders St to his sister’s unit complex in Hermit Park on November 10.

When Landers arrived at the property, he told the taxi driver he had to grab his keycard and asked to draw out $100 cash.

Ms Moss said when Landers returned to the taxi, he lunged across the taxi driver and grabbed his shirt pocket where he kept $90.

“(Landers) said, “give me the money, give me the f***ing money,” she said. “The defendant punched the complainant on the left side of his face, knocking his glasses off.”

Ms Moss played the court CCTV footage from the taxi capturing the driver struggling with Landers.

The charges from November follow Landers also being charged with eight offences including wilful damage, commit public nuisance and stealing.

The court heard on June 2 last year, Landers started screaming and swearing at customers in a Mcdonald’s carpark.

Landers picked up a 2m garden stake and threw it at a man standing in the restaurant’s doorway, hitting a window.

On June 28, Landers entered a BWS bottle shop and stole three one litre bottles of Bundaberg Rum.

Defence barrister Kelly Stone told the court Landers had struggled with a methamphetamine addiction since 2016 and could not recall his crime.

“After the attempted robbery, his partner saw his picture on Crime Stoppers and asked him what he had done,” he said.

“At that point he didn’t have any memory at all and when he found out it was an attempted robbery, he was surprised and saddened.”

Judge John Coker told Landers physical violence was unacceptable.

“Having seen the footage, the violence perpetrated upon the complainant was significant, it was unprovoked and it was certainly without any justification,” he said.

Landers was sentenced to three years’ jail with a parole release date set at January 2 next year.

Convictions were recorded.