A man who robbed a bottleshop and tobacco shop in Seymour stole about $1300 in cash, five packets of cigarettes and two packs of tobacco, a court has heard.
Johnathan Fletcher, 22, of Seymour pleaded guilty in Shepparton County Court to armed robbery, robbery and theft.
He also pleaded guilty to three summary charges of committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Prosecutor Yildana Hardjadibrata told the court Fletcher demanded cash from the manager of Liquorland in Seymour on January 10, escaping with $855 from the till.
Another staff member noticed Fletcher did not remove his hand from his jacket pocket and the pair feared he had a weapon during the robbery.
The court heard Fletcher went to tobacco shop King of the Pack on January 23 where he handed the sales assistant a note that said “Don’t fk around! Empty till. Put ciggerites (sic) in bag”.
Fletcher then said to her “get the f****** money out of the till”, Mr Hardjadibrata said.
When Fletcher tried to get behind the counter, the shop attendant slammed down a flap preventing him access.
He then pulled a 35cm security torch, which the prosecutor referred to as a “baton”, out of his bag, and brandished it as he demanded White Ox tobacco and money.
A second employee — whose wife owned the store — was phoned by the shop attendant during the incident, and when he came inside he emptied about $450 from the cash register and gave Fletcher two packets of White Ox tobacco and five packets of Ascot Red cigarettes.
Fletcher then left the store, and ran away from police through the V/Line car park and the underpass to Station St where he was eventually arrested.
The court heard when he was arrested, Fletcher was wearing the same jacket and sunglasses he had worn in the Liquorland robbery.
The court was also told that in a separate incident, Fletcher stole a Volkswagen Amarok ute while at a Moranding property mowing lawns with another man.
When the owner later found the ute at Fletcher’s Seymour house, Fletcher broke down in tears and apologised for stealing the vehicle.
The court was told Fletcher had previous criminal convictions for armed robbery, and had spent time in prison.
The court also heard of Fletcher’s deprived childhood, and some old psychological assessment material was also handed up by the defence.
Fletcher’s defence solicitor Laurence Waugh told the court his client’s offending was “not at all sophisticated” and this lack of sophistication was consistent with the psychologist’s opinion that Fletcher acted on impulse.
Judge Daniel Holding will hand down his sentence in August.