Man convicted over robbery on Standen Street
The offence took place at a grocery store in June 2021.
A man has been convicted of aggravated robbery in relation to an incident at the Asian grocery store on Standen Street, Murray Bridge last June.
Dion Steve Orr faced the District Court in Adelaide last Tuesday to be handed his sentence by Judge Barklay.
On June 10, 2021, Orr and a co-offender threatened staff at the store at knife-point, stole around $400 from the cash register and attempted to flee the scene on pushbikes.
“The offence of aggravated robbery is a very serious offence … armed robberies against vulnerable victims are prevalent crimes,” Judge Barklay said in his sentencing remarks.
“In this case, although the robbery could be properly described as an amateurish effort, it remains the case that you went in company to the grocery shop to commit the robbery and you brought a knife with you.
“The fact that you were under the influence of drugs at the time provides no excuse for the offending.”
In fixing a sentence, Judge Barklay said he had balanced the co-existing factors of protecting the community, general and personal deterrence, Orr’s relative youth, and the efforts he had made to rehabilitate himself.
He handed Orr a sentence of three years and nine months of imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years, but suspended it with a three-year good behaviour bond.
Judge Barklay said the offender would be “subject to supervision for the duration of that bond”, which would ban him from taking illicit substances and subject him to random drug tests.
“Your matter is finely balanced, but at this stage of your life you are at a crossroad and I consider a merciful approach that promotes your rehabilitation is called for,” Judge Barklay said.
“I can tell you that many others wouldn’t have given you this chance, so you need to take the opportunity and lead a law-abiding life.
“When life doesn’t go your way, which it doesn’t sometimes, that’s not the time for you to drop your bundle.”
As a result of the aggravated robbery, Orr also breached a 12-month good behaviour bond he had entered into on January 27, 2021 for several driving offences.
He was convicted for those charges without further penalty.
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