An armed robber, who held up a North Rockhampton service station on Christmas Day in 2019 with a pruning saw, has been handed a prison sentence in court.
Paul James Ketchup, 22, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on December 15 to one count each of armed robbery and enter premises and commit an indictable offence.
Crown prosecutor Harriet Hall-Pearce said the victim, who was 22 years old at the time of the offence, was working as a customer service assistant at Caltex on Yaamba Rd, Park Avenue, when he heard the bell to the front door sound about 2am on December 25, 2019.
Ms Hall-Pearce said the victim saw the Ketchup’s face was uncovered and let him inside.
Premium Content
Subscriber only A Central Queensland has faced court for assaulting his former partner after a camping trip on the Capricorn Coast. Clinton James Field, 48, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on Tuesday to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm. Crown prosecutor Samantha O Rourke said Field and the victim were in a domestic relationship some years before the incident on April 13, 2017 but remained in contact. Ms O Rourke said there had been a camping trip overnight and some disharmony between the pair. She said, ultimately, it culminated that morning with Field pushing the victim to the ground and punching her twice to the head, causing minor injuries.
Premium Content
Subscriber only CENTRAL Queensland District Courts were busy this year running child sex offending cases, both recent and historical, with one found not guilty by jury, others pleading guilty and some yet to dealt with. The cases were from across the Central Queensland region.
1) PRE-PUBESCENT TEEN BRIBED FOR SEX, FORTNIGHTLY FOR YEARS A ROCKHAMPTON girl was subjected to fortnightly unprotected sex for three years, when she was aged 11-14, after being preyed upon by her uncle at age 10. The uncle, 46, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court in November after pleading guilty to maintaining a sexual relationship with a child, two counts of indecent treatment of a child and two of carnal knowledge.
Here are some the biggest juvenile cases finalised in Rockhampton courts this year:
1) JUVENILE GANG ROBS WANDAL IGA IN CRIME SPREE
A TEEN gang member involved in a crime spree across Rockhampton which included stealing cars and armed robbery with violence of the Wandal IGA last year, has been jailed. CCTV footage from IGA Wandal. Photo Contributed
The recidivist offender was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on September 1 for more than 35 charges for his role in the robbery, along with stealing 10 cars and driving them around unlicensed while smoking drugs with his gang.
This offending was part of a 16-month crime spree, while the boy was aged 14 and 15, which involved breaking into homes and businesses to steal, along with obstruct police and drive unlicensed.
Premium Content
Subscriber only
A WOMAN given immediate parole release in August for a “passive attempt at a robbery” had to wait more than three months to be released from prison.
Cheyenne Hope Conlon, 23, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on August 25 for armed robbery of the Dean St Bakery on December 4, 2019, where she received two years and nine months prison term with 70 days presentence custody declared and immediate parole release.
However, due to 28 charges outstanding in the magistrates court which were only finalised on December 1, 2020, she spent an extra three months behind bars.
Rockhampton Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said she was surprised these matters could not be dealt with in the district court at the same time as the armed robbery, but had heard there had been a policy change which left these 28 matters in the magistrates court.