Michael Douglas Blow, 25, was sentenced in Bendigo County Court on Monday, November 16, after pleading guilty to three charges of robbery and one count of possessing methamphetamine.
The court was told Blow entered a Bendigo service station at 10 pm on February 3 wearing a hooded jumper worn backwards to cover his face, with eye holes cut out.
He confronted a 19-year-old woman working there alone, demanding all the money from the till.
Blow stole about $200 in cash and cigarettes, before telling the teenager, ‘‘You don't know what I have on me’’.
He dropped about $65 and some cigarettes on the way out.
The court heard that on February 4 Blow, wearing the same disguise, entered a Rochester bank and threw a bag at a teller, demanding money.
He also demanded the safe be opened, but another teller did not have access.
The teller pressed the duress alarm but not before Blow left with between $150 and $200.
Later that day, Blow, in the same outfit, demanded money from an 18-year-old employee at a Rochester petrol station.
Blow pushed the teen towards the shop and told him to empty money from the till into a bag, threatening to shoot him.
The victim opened the till and Blow stole about $2000.
Police arrested Blow at his mother's house on February 5 where they found $300 and three small bags of methamphetamine.
In her victim impact statement, a Rochester bank teller said she suffered anxiety attacks, had problems sleeping and felt unsafe out of her home.
The court was told Blow started sniffing petrol when he was 13, using cannabis at 14 and ice by 15 before being diagnosed with chronic treatment resistance schizophrenia at the age of 17.
Judge Amanda Fox said a psychological report showed there was a direct link between Blow’s mental illness and his drug use.
The court heard Blow also grew up amid ‘‘distressing’’ and serious family violence, and suffered the traumatic loss of his father who was killed in 2016.
Judge Fox said while the robberies were not sophisticated, Blow planned them somewhat by disguising himself.
She said Blow showed no meaningful remorse, largely due to his mental health and drug use, but took into account his early plea.
‘‘You do not have the ability to objectively observe the consequences of your behaviour and make positive behaviour changes,’’ she said.
Blow has already spent 285 days in custody, which was reckoned as time served.
Once released from prison, Blow will be placed on a two-year community corrections order, which will include mental health and drug rehabilitation programs.
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