A TASMANIAN judge has warned that a serial Launceston armed robber sent back to prison may be rapidly becoming institutionalised. Michael Samuel Charlesworth, 19, has been jailed for two years and nine months for holding up two Mowbray bottleshops with a knife in July. Justice David Porter said Charlesworth’s latest robberies were committed less than a month after being released from prison for a similar crime, and while he was on probation. Justice Porter said that since 2009, Charlesworth had only spent about 16 months outside a detention or prison environment. ‘‘His constant offending may be symptomatic of institutionalisation,’’ he said. On July 16, Charlesworth entered a Mowbray bottleshop wielding a butcher’s knife. His face was covered with a grey T-shirt with holes cut into it, with a black hooded jumped pulled up over his head and black gloves on his hands. Charlesworth pointed his knife at a female staff member and demanded money from the till. He then made the same demand of a male worker, before taking about $550 from the register and leaving. Within three minutes, he arrived at another bottleshop about 500 metres away, again demanding money from a staff member while holding out his knife. Both bottleshops were empty of customers at the time. Police swooped on the second shop and arrested Charlesworth after he dropped the knife and $85 dollars into a trolley and attempted to flee. Charlesworth latertold police he planned to spend the cash from the robberies, most likely on drugs. Justice Porter said despite Charlesworth’s extensive record of relevant prior convictions, his prospects of rehabilitation were not lost. ‘‘All in all, the picture is of a troubled upbringing, but of a capable young man who has the ability to stop offending if he wants to do so,’’ Justice Porter said. ‘‘You can only be helped so far – it is very much up to you,’’ he told the offender. Charlesworth will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
A TASMANIAN judge has warned that a serial Launceston armed robber sent back to prison may be rapidly becoming institutionalised.
Michael Samuel Charlesworth, 19, has been jailed for two years and nine months for holding up two Mowbray bottleshops with a knife in July.
Justice David Porter said Charlesworth’s latest robberies were committed less than a month after being released from prison for a similar crime, and while he was on probation.
Justice Porter said that since 2009, Charlesworth had only spent about 16 months outside a detention or prison environment.
‘‘His constant offending may be symptomatic of institutionalisation,’’ he said.
On July 16, Charlesworth entered a Mowbray bottleshop wielding a butcher’s knife.
His face was covered with a grey T-shirt with holes cut into it, with a black hooded jumped pulled up over his head and black gloves on his hands.
Charlesworth pointed his knife at a female staff member and demanded money from the till.
He then made the same demand of a male worker, before taking about $550 from the register and leaving.
Within three minutes, he arrived at another bottleshop about 500 metres away, again demanding money from a staff member while holding out his knife.
Both bottleshops were empty of customers at the time.
Police swooped on the second shop and arrested Charlesworth after he dropped the knife and $85 dollars into a trolley and attempted to flee.
Charlesworth latertold police he planned to spend the cash from the robberies, most likely on drugs.
Justice Porter said despite Charlesworth’s extensive record of relevant prior convictions, his prospects of rehabilitation were not lost.
‘‘All in all, the picture is of a troubled upbringing, but of a capable young man who has the ability to stop offending if he wants to do so,’’ Justice Porter said.
‘‘You can only be helped so far – it is very much up to you,’’ he told the offender.
Charlesworth will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
