Jail for robbing sex customer

A man who robbed a sex worker’s customer says he’s had a good time in prison after synthetic cannabis sent his life spiralling out of control.

Liam Christopher Chubb, 25, has been jailed for 17 months and ordered to pay back the $40 he took and spent at a dairy.

Defence counsel Steve Hembrow told sentencing Judge Paul Kellar that Chubb began using synthetic cannabis when it was being sold legally. He continued when it was banned.

‘‘He got into a bad habit and then he got out of work. He was living from day to day,’’ Hembrow said at Chubb’s sentencing yesterday for aggravated robbery and three charges of failing to attend court while on bail.

About 6.30pm on January 12, Chubb was at a house where a woman had arranged to meet a client for commercial sexual services.

When she left the bedroom, Chubb went in with a younger offender who had his face covered by a bandanna and holding something inside his jacket to make the victim think he had a weapon.

The victim handed over a cellphone and wallet containing $200. The items were recovered except for $40 that Chubb spent at a dairy.

Hembrow said Chubb was very different person from when he was first arrested. His life had been disorganised, and he had been unable to keep appointments at court or with his lawyer. That caused his bail breaches.

He had a good time in prison, with drug and alcohol courses, Hembrow said. ‘‘He has resolved never to get back into drug use. He feels he has absolutely wasted a couple of years of his life.’’

Judge Kellar said there was no suggestion Chubb had lured the customer to the house for a robbery. He accepted Chubb had no knowledge of the other offender’s ‘‘weapon’’. The other robber was dealt with in the Youth Court.

The judge noted Chubb had three previous convictions for assault and one for assault with intent to injure.