By Alesha Capone
A man who committed two armed robberies in Werribee has been sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Ben Hamling-Lawler, 30, faced the County Court on August 12 and was sentenced on August 14.
Judge Michael Tinney said about 6.45pm on June 30, 2018, Hamling-Lawler separately approached “two totally innocent members of the public” within Werribee’s CBD.
During the first incident, Hamling-Lawler asked a man – who was standing near a supermarket while waiting to collect a takeaway food order – for money and produced a knife.
About 10 minutes later, Hamling-Lawler approached a woman and her fiancé, who were on their way to buy dinner. Hamling-Lawler punched the woman on the left shoulder, before pulling out the knife and demanding her bag.
The woman’s fiancé challenged Hamling-Lawler and chased him away.
Hamling-Lawler was identified later in 2018 after he was arrested for other matters and taken into custody.
Judge Tinney said Hamling-Lawler had refused to disclose many details of his background to his legal counsel, but that he had previously been treated for substance abuse disorder and schizophrenia.
Judge Tinney also said that since 2012, Hamling-Lawler had been arrested for a number of reasons, including drugs, weapons, dishonesty, threat, assault, violence, aggravated burglary and robbery.
Judge Tinney said Hamling-Lawler had previously received some short jail sentences and breached a number of community corrections orders or suspended sentences.
In sentencing Hamling-Lawler, Judge Tinney said that he “must have regard to the gravity of the offences”.
Judge Tinney said that Hamling-Lawler’s crimes were committed early in the evening, in a busy area.
“They (the victims) were in a public place and had no reason at all to expect they would fall victim to such a crime,” Judge Tinney said.
“It was obviously a frightening event for your female victim.”
Judge Tinney sentenced Hamling-Lawler to three years and five months’ jail. He will be required to serve 27 months before becoming eligible for release on parole.
