A MAN who told police he robbed a Wagga service station at knife point for money to get to a drug rehabilitation unit has been jailed for more than a year.
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Nicholas James Flack was sentenced in Wagga District Court after pleading guilty to robbery while armed with an offensive weapon.
Judge Gordon Lerve gave 22-year-old Flack a head sentence of 31 months, with 16 months’ non-parole.
The sentence was backdated to May 26, meaning Flack will be released from prison on September 25 next year.
According to agreed facts tendered to the court, Flack went into the Shell service station on Docker Street about 7am on Sunday, April 10.
Flack tried to buy cigarettes but was refused service by the console operator because he could not provide proof of age.
Flack left the servo but came back about 7.45am with a backpack and armed with a knife.
According the facts, the knife remained pointed towards the ground at all times.
Flack told the console operator to give him the till, money and cigarettes.
The console operator refused to give Flack any money.
“The accused then asked for $200, which the victim again refused,” the facts said.
“The accused then asked for $100.”
The console operator eventually agreed to give Flack $50 and two packets of cigarettes.
Flack then left the servo and about an hour later was stopped on Edward Street by police officers unaware of the heist.
The robber told police he was a homeless ice addict and agreed to have his backpack searched.
The officers saw the packets of cigarettes in the bag.
Concerned about Flack’s welfare, the officers took him back to the police station with the aim of finding him accommodation.
When they heard about the service station robbery and what was stolen they immediately suspected Flack and placed him under arrest.
Flack told police he held up the service station for money to get to a drug rehabilitation unit in Canberra.
A condition of Flack’s parole will be accepting drug counselling.
