A violent "coward's attack" on an unsuspecting victim, who was helping a girl he met on Tinder move house, has landed a Wangaratta man in jail for more than three years.
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Tyson Craig, now 23, hit his victim with a pole multiple times before forcing him to hand over the keys to his ute to co-offender Stacey Robinson, 25.
They left the victim stranded in Wangaratta and drove his vehicle away to Albury.
The victim had been waiting in his car on the evening of November 3, 2018 after helping a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder gather her belongings from a house in Wangaratta.
When Robinson realised there would not be enough room for her to join the pair in the ute, she texted Craig to come over.
As the victim stepped out of the car, Craig come up to him from behind and hit him four times with the pole, including to the back of the head.
When Robinson realised there would not be enough room for her to join the pair in the ute, she texted Craig to come over.
Robinson and the 15-year-old girl drove away in the ute, picking up Craig along the way.
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Both Craig and Robinson have been in custody since their arrest and pleaded guilty to armed robbery and intentionally causing injury when appearing in the County Court this week.
Judge Patricia Riddell sentenced Craig to three years and five months in jail, with a non-parole period of two years and four months, and Robinson to 12 months in jail plus an 18-month community correction order.
"It was a coward's attack. You are very lucky that his injuries are not more serious or were not life-threatening, Your behaviour was completely unprovoked ... That is bullish behaviour, which is completely reprehensible," she said to Craig.
"He was bleeding, he was was yelling and screaming, he was terrified and in fear for his life."
The victim needed 19 stitches in his head after the attack, was left with multiple bruises and lost hearing in his ear for a period, but has since recovered physically.
"He's terrified to go out at night, terrified of being alone, cannot cope with people approaching him from behind, is anxious in crowds and suffers panic attacks," Judge Riddell said.
Robinson also set his car on fire in Albury after she crossed the border.
Judge Riddell said she accepted Craig and Robinson were now both remorseful and had prospects of rehabilitation if they stayed away from drugs.
She noted Craig was "under the influence of methamphetamine and possibly valium and cannabis" at the time of the assault, but said "self-induced intoxication is no excuse for offending behaviour".
A psychologist found Craig was "a psychologically vulnerable person" with bereavement disorder, depression and anxiety after he did not receive any grief counselling following the loss of people close to him.
"I accept that the current situation regarding imprisonment in the COVID-19 pandemic is a more stressful and uncertain one, that courses in custody are limited," Judge Riddell said.
"Prison currently means an additional burden, I take those matters into account."
