A knife-wielding homeless man was on the run for breaching bail when he committed a "terrifying" attempted aggravated carjacking of a 71-year-old Launceston woman, the Supreme Court in Launceston heard.
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Wade Alan McKenzie, 32, had no money after being released from Risdon Prison in February last year.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," McKenzie told police after his arrest.
He pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated carjacking in a Brisbane Street car park at about 8.30am on April 15, 2021, and to stealing a mobile phone, handbag, cash and credit cards worth about $3000.
The court heard that McKenzie and Candida Alice Smedley had arrived in Launceston the day before with little money and spent the night sleeping rough.
McKenzie saw a woman sitting in the driver's seat of a Mercedes-Benz station wagon.
He opened the passenger door and sat in the passenger seat and said "give me your car keys" and "I've got a knife". He grabbed the mobile phone out of her hand.
The woman did not give him the keys and jumped out of the car and ran to a nearby office and called police. McKenzie took the woman's tweed handbag and gave it to Ms Smedley.
She was was arrested within five minutes and was in possession of bank cards, driver's licence and $20 in coins from the victim. McKenzie fled on foot and jumped multiple fences to evade police.
When caught he had a large serrated hunting knife.
In sentencing Justice Robert Pearce said it must have been a terrifying experience for the vulnerable woman, who told police she was very shaken.
Justice Pearce jailed him for one year and nine months for the attempted carjacking and backdated it to when he was taken into custody on April 15, 2021.
He also activated a two month suspended sentence imposed in 2020.
Ms Smedley is due to appear on a charge of receiving stolen property in the Hobart Magistrates Court in March.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
