14 Years For Armed Robberies

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 13, 2008

By INGRID BOWN

A SERIAL armed robber was sentenced to a minimum 14 years' jail yesterday for offences including three gun-wielding raids on soft targets, which netted almost $100,000 cash.

David Richard Wilcox, 34, formerly of Ida Street, Mayfield, faced sentencing in Newcastle District Court for armed robberies at Dungog and Tahmoor, near Picton, as well as a bungled armed robbery at Smiths Lake.

In robberies at Dungog RSL and the Tahmoor Inn, both in October 2004, Wilcox and co-offender Ric Anson used cable ties to bind their victims' thumbs behind their backs. Both men wore balaclavas and long, dark clothing and burst into the hotels carrying guns, which they pointed at their terrified victims. They emptied money from safes, poker machines and an ATM.

In both cases the phone lines were disconnected and the victims were locked or ushered into office areas before the men fled.

Wilcox was found guilty of those robberies in September last year after a district court trial. Anson, a drug dealer, was murdered in 2005.

Judge Ralph Coolahan described the two offences as "very serious, well-planned and executed robberies by professionals".

Both clubs were isolated, with unsophisticated security, and were targeted late at night, he said.

Judge Coolahan was also asked to take into account a further armed robbery at Nambucca Heads Bowling Club in December 2004, as well as an offence of perverting the course of justice over threats Wilcox made to his de facto partner, who was called to give evidence at the NSW Crime Commission about the attempted armed robbery at Pacific Palms Bowling Club.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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