By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A former foreman has been jailed for a carjacking in which he allegedly rammed the victim’s vehicle and attacked him with a crowbar outside a Dandenong workshop late at night.
Ian James Stanton, 44, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to aggravated carjacking with an offensive weapon.
He also pleaded guilty to attempted theft of a different car, handling stolen goods and trafficking methamphetamine.
According to the prosecution, Stanton and co-accused Kara Lambert, 22, carried out the carjacking late at night in Greaves Street Dandenong on 17 May 2021.
Sitting in his Hyundai just after work, the victim was on his phone to family members in Afghanistan.
As the female co-accused spoke with the victim, Stanton reversed a Holden Jackaroo into the victim’s car.
When the victim got out, Stanton allegedly beat him several times with a crowbar before chasing him down the road in the Jackaroo.
Lambert drove off in the victim’s Hyundai.
Both of the accused were on bail, including a night curfew at the time.
They were arrested the next day at a Doveton home, with police discovering nine plastic bags of ‘ice’.
Sentencing judge Peter Lauritsen on 12 May noted the victim suffered soft-tissue injuries to his head, back and abdomen.
However said he couldn’t take into account the victim’s physical injuries from the attack due to the form of the charge.
The charge of aggravated carjacking described Stanton having an offensive weapon, not allegedly causing injury.
In a statement, the victim in his 30s told the court he’d been unable to work as a result of the carjacking.
The victim stated the attack aggravated a previous spinal injury, and injured his shoulder.
Once able to take 20-kilometre treks, the father had to take breaks during short walks and can no longer carry his kids on his shoulders.
Stanton faced a mandatory minimum jail term of three years.
Judge Lauritsen rejected a defence argument that there were “substantial and compelling” reasons and “exceptional and rare” circumstances to instead hand down a CCO.
He noted Stanton’s childhood deprivation in which he was drinking at six, severely neglected at home, and had left to live by himself near train tracks when just 13.
During a long period of working and stability, Stanton managed up to 60 employees as a foreman.
Then in 2015, he injured his spine when he slipped on black ice and fell four metres at work. He relapsed into drug use, his relationship collapsed, he was again homeless and back in front of courts.
Judge Lauritsen said both accused were “blameworthy” for the carjacking.
However, Stanton took a more active role, was older and had an extensive criminal history including six previous jail terms.
Lambert, on the other hand, had an intellectual disability and no prior convictions.
Stanton was jailed for up to four years and three months, including 454 days already served in pre-sentence detention.
He will be eligible for parole after three years.
Lambert was jailed for one day – already served in remand – and a 12-month CCO including supervision, a justice plan and treatment for drug, alcohol and mental health issues.
