TWO men have been sentenced to a maximum of almost three years' jail for their roles in separate robberies across the region last year that prompted a police strike force.
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Padstow Heights' Andrew Sharp, 27, and Bourkelands' Michael Stephen Wood, 32, appeared in Wagga District Court last week after they both pleaded guilty to one count each of menacingly demanding property in company with the intention to steal.
Sharp also pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to a break and enter to steal while Wood also pleaded guilty to being carried in a car without the consent of the owner.
Court documents state that on October 10 in Lockhart last year, Sharp was involved in helping Wagga man Gary Gray take stolen items in a Mitsubishi Triton.
Hours later, police seized a number of items and the car itself, which was unoccupied at the time, from central Wagga.
In April, 32-year-old Gray was sentenced to 14 months' jail for two counts each of stealing and using a prohibited weapon without a licence.
Wood was not involved in the Lockhart offences. However, four days later at about 4am in Ashmont, he and Sharp stole the keys to a Mitsubishi ASX.
During the incident, the car's owner said he was scared he would be harmed if he did not give the keys to Sharp, court documents state.
Both men were convicted of their respective charges and each sentenced to a maximum of two years and three months' jail.
"Sharp minimises his offending and the extent of his remorse was the impact of his offending upon himself and his family rather than demonstrating true victim empathy," Judge Jennifer English said.
Judge English said that while full-time custody was the only option, she found Sharp had good prospects of rehabilitation.
In relation to Wood, Judge English said general deterrence had a significant role to play.
Ms English said she found Wood to be remorseful and that ongoing rehabilitation is recommended.
Sharp and Wood were also convicted and sentenced for being carried in a car without the consent of the owner and possessing prohibited drugs, respectively.
With a non-parole period of one year and three months, they will be eligible for parole in April next year after already spending 10 months in custody.
