Jail for gun-toting Vic Porsche thief

A young offender has been jailed after he was involved in a string of frightening Melbourne armed robberies, including the theft of a Porsche at gunpoint.

A young Melbourne man shot five times at a driver who was sitting in a car eating McDonald's, just three months after stealing a Porsche at gunpoint.

The County Court of Victoria on Monday heard the ice-affected offender wanted to settle a score with the victim for injuring his friend when he approached the stolen Mercedes, where the young man was seated, eating McDonalds with friends.

He fired five shots at him through the windscreen, leaving the victim with three superficial puncture wounds to his chest, shoulder and multiple abrasions.

As the victim began driving himself to hospital, the gunman fired another shot at him.

He admitted later to police he was "happy" he hit him because he wanted to kill him.

The court heard the incident was part of an eight-month violent spree by the youth, who was 17 and 18 at the time, during 2015 and 2016.

Three months earlier, he had pointed a handgun at the stomach of Porsche driver in Carlton North, demanding his keys.

He and two co-offenders staged a minor car accident to entice the driver from his luxury vehicle, which the trio eventually stole.

He made full admissions to police when he was arrested last year on an unrelated matter.

Judge Paul Lacava said it was a very serious example of a serious crime.

"The complainant was unarmed and this must have been a very frightening experience for him," he said.

"The modus operandi employed by you and your co-offenders is one that unfortunately has become somewhat notorious and prevalent in this city."

In another incident, the youth and two others stormed a Springvale home where a man and woman slept, and demanded cash.

He was armed with a knife, while his co-offenders had a sawn-off shotgun and pole.

He had grabbed the man in a choke-type hold and punched him in the face before the trio fled with $5000 cash and a motorcycle.

The youth pleaded guilty to multiple charges including intentionally causing serious injury and reckless conduct endangering life.

The judge accepted his remorse was genuine and much of his offending occurred while he was on ice, a habit fuelled by depression.

The man was jailed for eight years with a non-parole period of five years.

The judge said his youth meant he should be given a chance at full rehabilitation.


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Source: AAP



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