More gold from the courts. This time Justice Burns (lacking Justice Neild’s taste for the patois of the street) is sentencing Jarrad Boyle and Adam Coogan for basically kidnapping one Paul Robertson after he had enjoyed the company of three of their female friends at the Mantra Hotel for fifteen minutes around midnight in March 2010.
The facts are that at about 10.30 pm on Friday 26 March 2010, Mr Paul Robertson arranged to meet Ms Kayla Garland at the Red Hill Shops in the ACT. Mr Robertson and Ms Garland had not met prior to this time, but had a mutual acquaintance. Mr Robertson drove his motor vehicle to the Red Hill Shops, arriving at about 11.10 pm. Shortly after he arrived, he received a call on his mobile telephone from Ms Garland. Ms Garland told him that she was walking to the Shops and would meet him there. A short time later, Ms Garland, Ms Renata Ling and Ms Natalie Sheridan arrived at the Shops. The three females got into Mr Robertson’s car and they drove into Civic in the ACT.
At about 11.55 pm, they arrived at the Mantra Hotel on Northbourne Avenue in the ACT, where they remained for about 15 minutes before leaving. At about 12.17 am on Saturday 27 March 2010 Mr Robertson and the three females returned to the Red Hill Shops. The three females got out of the car and walked towards Discovery Street in Red Hill. At about that time, both of you, Mr Coogan and Mr Boyle, were near the park which is located in Lady Nelson Place in Red Hill. You met up with the three females and had a conversation about what they had been doing during the evening.
During that conversation, Ms Garland told you about Mr Robertson. After a short discussion, each of you said words to the effect of “Let’s rob this cunt.” At that time, Mr Robertson was still in his car at the Red Hill Shops. You, Mr Boyle, told Ms Garland to get back into the car with Mr Robertson and direct him to the carport of 103 Discovery Street in Red Hill. Those premises are a single-storey brick unit within a complex of three other units located on the corner of Discovery Street and Lady Nelson Place in Red Hill. The carports are for the units located in Lady Nelson Place and each carport has a roller door which can be closed.
Ms Garland walked back to Mr Robertson’s car and got into it. Both of you and one of the females went to the carport for 103 Discovery Street in Red Hill. Ms Garland directed Mr Robertson to that carport.
Mr Robertson drove into the carport and stopped his car. Mr Robertson and Ms Garland got out of the car. At that time, both of you and the unidentified female were in the carport. Mr Robertson walked to the front of his car and as he did so, the unidentified female pushed past him and pulled down the garage door behind the car.
You, Mr Coogan, approached Mr Robertson and said words to the effect of, “Where’s your money?” and “Show us your wallet.” At about this time Ms Garland left the carport and ran from the area.
Also at about this time you, Mr Boyle, were standing a short distance away from Mr Robertson, holding a bottle of Woodstock Bourbon & Cola. The unidentified female and you, Mr Coogan, began searching through the centre console of Mr Robertson’s car, whilst you, Mr Boyle, stood nearby. You, Mr Coogan, became agitated and got in and out of the car a number of times and shook your fist in front of Mr Robertson’s face. You, Mr Boyle, told Mr Robertson to hand over his car keys, which he did.
You, Mr Coogan, then stopped searching the car and approached Mr Robertson holding a knife. The unidentified female who was present yelled, “Stab him, just stab him.” You, Mr Coogan, then returned to Mr Robertson’s vehicle and continued to search it. You then walked over to Mr Robertson still holding the knife. You held the blade of the knife to Mr Robertson’s jaw and said, “Where’s the fucking money? I’ll fucking stab you.”
At that time you, Mr Boyle, were standing a short distance from Mr Robertson and the unidentified female was standing near Mr Robertson’s vehicle. Mr Robertson moved backwards a little to avoid the knife, and at that time, one of you asked Mr Robertson how much he had in his bank account. You then forced Mr Robertson to provide you with his personal identification number for his bank account.
By your actions, presence, and by your demand for Mr Robertson’s personal identification number, you, Mr Boyle, intended to and did provide aid and encouragement to Mr Coogan during the commission by him of the offence of making a demand of Mr Robertson, accompanied by a threat.
At that point, you, Mr Coogan, asked whether Mr Robertson had been searched. The unidentified female then searched Mr Robertson. At that time, he had a Blackberry mobile telephone in the back pocket of his jeans and $550.00 in Australian currency in the front left pocket of his jeans. The unidentified female located those items and removed them from Mr Robertson’s jeans. Each of you was standing nearby at that time.
By your actions and by your presence, you intended to and did provide aid and encouragement to the unidentified female at the time she searched Mr Robertson, and stole the $550.00 and the Blackberry mobile telephone.
Mr Robertson did not give permission for the unidentified female to remove that property.
Shortly after, Mr Robertson ran through the carport through an open side gate and hid in some bushes near a block of units at the roundabout at the intersection of La Perouse Street and Monaro Crescent in Red Hill. He dialled 000 from a second mobile telephone he had in his possession and remained talking to the operator until Police arrived.
For added spice Jarrad Boyle was in the community having received a good behaviour order from Chief Justice Higgins.