A man threatened to hit two female staff members with a jemmy bar when they tried to prevent him from leaving the City Park Grand Hotel after he had stolen alcohol and items from their bags.
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Nathan John Cosgrove, 32, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and three counts of stealing on April 30, 2019.
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Crown prosecutor Peter Sherriff said the two women, who worked as a cook and a waitress, had gone to work at the hotel about 5.50am.
Cosgrove entered the hotel in Tamar street wearing a high vis vest, a bandana carrying a backpack and a jemmy bar.
He removed items and cigarettes from the handbag and purse of the women.
He then forced open a storage area and stole eight bottles of Baileys Irish Cream and 10 mixed bottles.
The woman trapped the man inside by pushing on a glass door that he was seeking to escape through.
At first, he said he was not going to hurt them but after continued pushing, he held the jemmy bar in a raised position "if you don't let me out I'm going to f...ing hit you".
He escaped by jumping into the car park and running towards the Albert Hall.
Mr Sherriff said the complainants declined to provide victim impact statements.
However, he said neither had suffered any physical injuries but a statutory declaration from an arresting officer said that one of the women was showing obvious signs of shock.
"It would have been terrifying I imagine," Justice Michael Brett said.
Cosgrove spent about a year in custody before being bailed in April 2020.
Defence counsel Evan Hughes submitted to Justice Brett that Cosgrove be assessed for a drug treatment order as an alternative to a custodial sentence and to provide better rehabilitation.
However, Justice Brett said rehabilitation was only one of several sentencing factors and bailed Cosgrove to reappear for sentence on August 12 at 10am.