A 26-year-old man who was recruited to help settle a drug debt and ended up committing an armed robbery has been jailed for two years and six months.
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County Court Judge Mark Gamble said at Shaun Alfred Schoefbaenker's Wednesday sentencing that the former Ballarat man's extensive criminal history and seriousness of the offending had to be taken into account.
In sentencing Schoefbaenker to a non parole period of 15 months Judge Gamble took Schoefbaenker's mild intellectual disability and diagnosis of PTSD after witnessing a friend dying in a car crash into account.
Schoefbaenker was armed with a knife when he entered a Tait Street house with a 36-year-old man who was looking to recover a drug debt on April 5, last year.
The men pushed past a female who answered the door and made their way to a rear bedroom where a 19-year-old man and his 17-year-old cousin were playing a Playstation.
The court heard 36-year-old Michael Phillips held the door shut as Schoefbaenker waved the knife around.
Demands for money were made as Schoefbaenker searched through drawers.
An iPad valued at $250 and phone were taken.
Schoefbaenker, who was on bail and serving a community corrections order at the time, remained at large when he committed a second theft on April 12.
The court previously heard he asked to borrow a phone from someone he knew, but instead of giving it back he ran off with it.
Judge Gamble said the offences "must be considered serious - particularly the armed robbery".
"(The offences) are to varying degrees of an intensely serious nature".
Judge Gamble said it was concerning Schoefbaenker had confronted a victim in what should of been the safety of his own home.
"You (were) brandishing a potentially lethal weapon," Judge Gamble said.
"There is an element of vigilantism, that you are prepared to take the law into your own hands."
Referring to theft of the mobile phone, which has not been recovered, Judge Gamble said Schoefbaenker took advantage of the victim's generosity.
Judge Gamble accepted Schoefbaenker was on ice at the time of offending but said it was no excuse.
"The inherent danger of a drug affected offender brandishing a knife hardly needs to be explained," Judge Gamble said.
Judge Gamble said Schoefbaenker had little employment history, with his longest job lasting just two months, had a history of anger management and poly substance abuse. He took his intellectual disability into account.
Judge Gamble noted the support of Schoefbaenker's family, particularly his sister, his relatively young age and prospect of rehabilitation.
"Unless and until you receive assistance and abstain from drug use your prospects remain poor," Judge Gamble said.
Schoefbaenker was sentenced to a total of two and half years and will be eligible for parole in 15 months.