‘Jail has been good for me’

Model prisoner turns life around

AN ARMED robber has told a Toowoomba court that the 10 months he had spent in prison had been good for him.

Not only had he used his time “inside” to get off drugs, but he had done a range of courses and programs to better himself in readiness for his release from jail, his barrister Frank Martin told Toowoomba District Court.

AN ICE addict who admitted to an armed robbery and the attempted armed robbery of a second store claimed his time in prison had turned his life around.

“He said this to me ... prison was the best thing for him,” defence barrister Frank Martin told Toowoomba District Court.

Mr Martin’s client, Benjamin James Frazer, had just pleaded guilty to robbing an IGA in Mt Warren Park near Beenleigh on September 4, last year.

The now 34-year-old had walked into the store armed with a hammer and partially disguising his face with a sock which had holes for his eyes and mouth, Crown prosecutor Shonetelle Petrie told the court.

He approached the 16-yearold female attendant and demanded cash and two packets of a particular brand of cigarettes, she said.

When the store manager went to intervene, Frazer had threatened him before fleeing with $500 and two packets of cigarettes.

Four days later, Frazer had used a similar approach when he tried to rob another store but the woman shop assistant had screamed at him before throwing a cup of coffee over him and the then 33-year-old had fled the store empty-handed, Ms Petrie said.

Frazer had spent the ensuing 304 days in pre-sentence custody before appearing in court to plead guilty to both offences.

Mr Martin said his client had reverted to ice use about six months before the robbery after the death of his mother with whom he was very close.

Through ice use his client had lost his job and was struggling to pay his rent which was why he had embarked on the robberies, he said.

However, during his client’s 10 months in jail he had proved to be a model prisoner and had done a number of courses to better himself including drug rehabilitation, an anger management program and horticultural course and had a responsible job in the prison, Mr Martin submitted.

Prison officials had reported Frazer as being polite and having a good work ethic in jail, he said.

On the suggestion of prison officers, Frazer had secured suitable accommodation in the Cabarlah area upon his release from jail, Mr Martin said.

Judge Nathan Jarro sentenced Frazer to four years in jail but declared the 304 days pre-sentence custody as time served under the sentence and ordered he be eligible to apply for release on parole as of January 29 next year.