Tyreece Patrick Paton, 19, and Jack Ronald Softley, 18, from Logan Central, had pleaded guilty to a range of offences related to the crime, which took place at the Orion Springfield Central shopping centre in Ipswich on 3 November.
The two men and a 16-year-old co-offender stole a small vehicle and drove it through a roller door into the centre at 12.50am, before smashing the doors, windows and display cabinets of a jewellery store with crowbars and swiping jewellery valued at $30,000.
Several workers were still present in the centre and confronted the trio, including a female cleaner who was threatened with a hunting knife. Two of the workers sustained stab wounds as the three offenders fled on foot.
The store sustained $3,000 in damage and was closed for two days for repairs; all the jewellery was recovered except for a piece valued at less than $500. The stolen car was not insured.
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren called video footage of the raid “shocking” and noted that it had a “level of sophistication”: “You disguised yourselves and stole a car small enough to drive inside. You smashed the counters, intent to steal as much as you could,” he added.
Softley was apprehended at the scene, while Paton was arrested several days later; both had remained in custody since.
Kym Bryson, acting for Paton, noted he had written a letter of apology to the cleaner, while a defence lawyer for Softley stated that if released, he would leave Ipswich and relocate to Gympie with a family member.
The Crown sought a two to two-and-a-half-year jail term, with immediate release due to time served.
Judge Horneman-Wren sentenced Softley to 261 days on one charge, to be served concurrently, and Paton to 248 days, before releasing both on a two-year probation order.
“One can only hope that eight-and-a-half months in custody has shocked these young men into reality,” he said. “They must have supervision to ensure they are never back here again.”
The 16-year-old – who had driven the car and wielded the knife – was sentenced to a supervised probation order at Beenleigh Children’s Court in April.
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