Two young men feared for their lives when held up in a dark secluded place by a 28-year old man armed with a silver revolver, a Supreme Court judge said in sentencing.
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Zane Andrew Henderson, 28, was found guilty last week by a jury of armed robbery after pleading guilty with Michelle Anne Hodge, 28, of the aggravated robbery on June 15, 2021.
Justice Robert Pearce said the seriousness of Henderson's crime was because of the effect on two 17-year-old males Samuel Winch and Alladin Beshir who he said understandably feared for their lives.
"The events took only a few minutes but in that time you subjected two very young men who were strangers to you and minding their own business to what must have been a terrifying ordeal," he said.
"They were in suburban Launceston but in a quite secluded area at the end of a dark road with little chance of help being immediately available.
"You were the main instigator and actor. You accepted some wrongdoing but denied the factor which made your crime so much more serious. There has been little demonstration of remorse."
The jury heard that at about 6.30 pm Henderson was travelling in a car with Ms Hodge and another man.
The car stopped near a parked white Commodore in Granville street West Launceston where Messrs Winch and Beshir were seated.
"You approached Mr Winch, who was in the driver's seat. You asked for a cigarette but then began to make demands for money. You then produced a firearm, a small revolver," Justice Pearce said.
"Through the driver's window you pointed the revolver at Mr Winch's head and demanded he remove himself from the car.
"You walked to the passenger side of the car and pointed the gun threateningly at Mr Beshir with demands for money."
Mr Beshir told the trial he went down on his knees.
Henderson showed Mr Winch that there were bullets in the chamber of the gun to make clear that he was serious.
He then drove off in the white Commodore with Ms Hodge with several stolen items belonging to the two victims.
The abandoned the stolen car in Pedder Street before running to High street where she was shortly after arrested in the backyard of a house.
Henderson was not arrested until July 1.
During the trial Hodge agreed that she received a 15-per-cent discount from a two-and-a-half year sentence for pleading guilty and a further 25-per-cent discount for agreeing to give evidence in Henderson's trial.
Justice Pearce said the jury was satisfied of the truth and reliability of the evidence of Messrs Winch and Beshir and Ms Hodge that he had a revolver.
"I found their evidence, particularly the evidence of Mr Winch and Mr Beshir on that question, to be compelling," he said.
"I am satisfied from the description given by Mr Winch that it was a real gun. Both Mr Winch and Mr Beshir thought it was a real gun and the fear they must have felt reflected belief.
"The consequence of my finding that it was a real gun is that your crime was accompanied by the risk of death or injury by discharge, although that did not occur."
After the guilty verdict, the court heard that Henderson had a prior conviction for assault in 2017.
"On 6 July 2017 you were sentenced to imprisonment for 22 months for a very serious assault committed on 16 October 2014. The victim was a female who was 18 at the time," he said.
He was also sentenced in November 2021 for possessing a gel blaster and stealing.
Justice Pearce said Henderson had spent most of the last four and a half years in prison including seventeen months on remand awaiting trial.
"Zane Henderson, you are convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for four years from 2 July 2022. I order that you not be eligible for parole until you have served two years and six months of that term," he said.