An “ice-addicted robber” has been praised for turning his life around by becoming part of a church ministry and signing up for residential drug rehabilitation.
Tristan Dengler pleaded guilty in the County Court to one charge of robbery at the Westside Hotel in Laverton, and admitted prior convictions. Judge Elizabeth Gaynor told the court that Dengler, 30, had a long criminal history beginning in 2005, and had faced court before for charges including car theft, drug possession, burglary, destroying property, breaching an intervention order, making a threat to kill, being a prohibited person possessing an unregistered firearm, driving offences and unlawful assault.
“You have been addicted to methylamphetamine for many, many years, and it would appear that this drug addiction has underpinned most of your offending,” she said.
Judge Gaynor said Dengler had received positive references from ConnectTransformations at Bendigo, a residential drug treatment program he undertook in February last year. He is also undertaking a diploma of Christian theology.
“It appears you have moved about as far as possible from where you were – that is, from an ice-addicted robber, if you like, to somebody who appears to be starting to be part of the church ministry,” Judge Gaynor said.
“You’ve got yourself out of what would undoubtedly have been … the longest jail sentence you would have faced in your career.
“So, you’ve been screeching along at a million miles an hour in a car, ready to crash into a wall, and you’ve managed to do a U-turn at the last moment, so I congratulate you.”
Dengler was sentenced to 158 days imprisonment, which he has already served on remand, and a 12-month community corrections order and 150 hours’ unpaid community work. Judge Gaynor warned Dengler: “If you knock off a box of matches from Woolworths … you could be jailed for that.”
