THE fourth gang member captured when police stormed a local pizza shop has been jailed for more than three-and-a-half years.
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Robert Gordon was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for his part in the hold-up of the Domino’s Pizza shop in Armidale in October, last year.
Judge Stephen Hanley imposed a minimum of one year and nine months in jail for two counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon, finding special circumstances in the case after specialist reports were tendered in court.
During sentencing last week in Penrith District Court, Judge Hanley also recommended Gordon be offered access to a specialist program while in custody, and ordered the sentence be served concurrently with other sentences that Gordon remains behind bars for.
The court had earlier heard Gordon had a significant criminal history and dysfunctional background.
After time served, he will be eligible for parole in July, 2017.
Gordon’s three co-accused, including a 17-year-old boy, remain in custody for their part in the armed robbery on October 8, 2015.
The gang of four were caught inside the pizza shop during a coordinated police sting by Armidale detectives and the Target Action Group (TAG).
On the night of the hold-up, the investigators were working as part of an operation, code-named Strike Force Inga, and were carrying out undercover surveillance of the Girraween shopping complex after a spate of robberies at the centre.
Police saw a 17-year-old juvenile, along with three other men acting suspiciously shortly after 11.30pm.
The group ran into the shop armed with a concrete block, pieces of timber and a knife.
Moments later police surrounded the store, blocking the front and back entrances, before they stormed inside and captured the gang in the shopfront.
All four members were arrested and charged with robbery armed with offensive weapons.
The 17-year-old was sentenced to two years in juvenile detention for his role in the hold-up, while Christopher Andrews was sentenced to a head sentence of three years and six months, after he received a discount for his early guilty plea. He will be eligible for parole in April, 2017.
Cutmore was handed a four year sentence with a minimum of two years behind bars, making him eligible for parole in 2018.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
