Teen’s harasser in servo robbery
A CHINCHILLA man who pestered a 14-year-old girl over Facebook for naked pictures also carried out a violent servo robbery while armed with a knife.
Thomas Richard Lees began messaging the young girl in 2018 while he was 21, and asked for pictures of her breasts and genitalia.
The court heard he was blocked by the 14-year-old, but Lees was determined to pursue her, and made numerous Facebook accounts to talk to her.
At one point he sent a picture of his penis.
Prosecutor Matthew Le Grand said the girl told her mother and they went to the police.
Lees was then arrested nearly two years later in Chinchilla for a “bizarre” robbery at knifepoint, according to Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren.
The court heard Lees had attended the servo where he was known about 3.30am on June 19 2020, where he pulled a knife on an attendant and demanded cigarettes.
During his arrest he assaulted a policewoman by grabbing her shirt and scratching her.
Mr Le Grand said Lees had been in custody since June 29 last year.
Judge Horneman-Wren said “thankfully” the young girl had the “inner fortitude” to reject his advances.
Barrister Frank Martin asked His Honour to not record a conviction.
He said that placing Lees on the child sex offender registry would have cultural issues for the 24-year-old Indigenous man’s family in relation to funerals.
Lees pleaded guilty to attempting to procure a child under 16, armed robbery and serious assault, as well as several summary charges which included 26 counts of fraud, stealing, drug possession, obstructing police, receiving tainted property, wilful damage, failing to dispose of a needle, public nuisance, and three counts of failing to appear.
He was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole, with 364 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time served.
Lees was also placed on probation for 12 months and no conviction was recorded for the procurement charge.