A man who was part of the carjacking of two Mooroopna school cleaners has been told to comply with bail for 12 months or he’ll cop a “big whack”.
Bailey Richard Austin, 26, pleaded guilty to carjacking and theft at Shepparton County Koori Court on November 21.
The court heard on April 27, 2021, the cleaners, a husband and wife, were leaving the school in their car when one of Austin’s co-offenders held a knife to the throat of man in the driver’s seat and told him to get out.
Austin, who was on a community corrections order at the time, opened the passenger side door, grabbed the woman by her clothing and pushed her before she fled the car.
Austin grabbed her handbag — containing identification, bank cards and cash — before getting in the car himself, while a third co-offender got in the back seat.
Police pursued the vehicle through Mooroopna, on Watt Rd and into Shepparton, with the stolen vehicle reaching speeds of up to 150km/h and at times driving on the wrong side of the road.
When Austin was arrested police found two mobile phones belonging to the couple and house keys in his possession.
In court, the sentencing discussion was conducted with everyone sitting around a table and two Elders taking part.
Austin’s barrister Jennifer Clark said he had abused drugs and alcohol, and was on medication for depression and anxiety or mood disorders.
She said Austin had the opportunity to complete a 12-month traineeship in construction and a 16-week residential program with family violence service Dardi Munwurro in Melbourne.
Speaking at the table, Austin said in the 18 months he’d been incarcerated, he had worked on himself, linked in with people who supported him and thought about what he wanted his life to be.
The court heard at the time of the offence he was drug-affected, homeless and unemployed.
Judge Elizabeth Gaynor said a combination of the traineeship opportunity and the strong support around him meant she would adjourn the matter for 12 months and release him on bail.
She told Austin it was an opportunity for him to reform, and said if he didn’t comply with his bail she would give him a “big whack” if he came back before her.
“You’ve got a lot to lose here and a lot to gain,” she said.
Judge Gaynor set the bail for 12 months with conditions for Austin to live in Melbourne with his mother, attend the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service as directed, not attend the City of Yarra except for appointments at VAHS, attend Dardi Munwurro, and engage with his support workers.