By Brendan Rees
A young thug who wielded a metal pole as he threatened two teenagers for cigarettes and money outside a Narre Warren store has been sentenced to jail.
Lionel Combo, 22, pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery and theft during a Victorian County Court sitting on 13 July.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Paul Lacava said Combo’s offending “was unplanned and opportunistic”.
The court heard Combo, who was aged 20 at the time, had armed himself with a metal pole and partially covered his face with a balaclava with his co-offender as they approached two 18-year-old men outside a 7-11 store in Narre Warren during the early hours of 1 February, 2019.
The pair demanded cigarettes and money before Combo swung the pole at one the victims, striking him in the rib. The victim ran away but the duo continued their demands with the other man, with Combo threatening to stab him, the court heard.
The court was told the victim pretended to have a knife, putting his hand in his pocket and managed to run away but left behind his satchel containing a passport, wallet, ID cards, a bank card, and Myki card – which Combo decided to take.
Judge Lacava told Combo: “Because you have pleaded guilty you are entitled to and will receive a reduction in sentence. That is because you have saved the time and a cost of a trial and for the need for the victims to have to give evidence.”
The court was told Combo, who is of Aboriginal heritage and on a community corrections order at the time of the offending, had a troubled upbringing with a history of alcohol abuse and periods of drug use including cannabis and methamphetamine.
Combo’s father was verbally and physically abusive towards his mother and they separated when he was a young child, the court heard.
His mother took him to Western Australia, where he attended three different primary schools. He then dropped out of Year 8 – but finished Year 10 equivalent while in custody at a youth justice centre in Victoria.
According to a psychological report presented to the court, Combo’s offending “was most likely related to psychological immaturity as opposed to an entrenched anti-social personality”.
Judge Lacava told Combo: “In general terms I assess your prospects of rehabilitation as being reasonable but guarded.”
Combo was sentenced to an additional year of jail on top of a current jail term for a separate matter. For that matter he was sentenced to two years and 10 months in jail at the Dandenong Magistrate’s Court in March this year.
He will be eligible for parole in in 15 months.
