Former army private is jailed for holding up a bank on a military base with a replica pistol while she was high on ice
- She will spend at least 20 months in jail for robbing a bank on her military base
- Sarah Royna was using methampetamines daily when she walked into the bank
- She used a fake pistol and balaclava to steal $2685 from the traumatised teller
- She allegedly planned to perform the same heist at the Windsor RSL days later
A former army private will spend at least 20 months in jail for robbing a bank on her military base while high on ice.
Former Australian Defence Force Private Sarah Royna was 22-years-old and using methampetamines daily when she walked into the credit union at the Richmond RAAF base in western Sydney, armed with a replica pistol and a balaclava in 2014.
She fronted Penrith District court on Tuesday, where Judge Stephen Hanley acknowledged ‘the young offender posed little threat to the community,’ 9News reported.
Former Australian Defence Force Private Sarah Royna was 22-years-old and using methampetamines daily when she walked into a bank armed with a replica pistol
The attendant, who believed she was being held at gunpoint, was allegedly traumatised after the ordeal.
‘It has had… a significant impact upon her life,’ he said.
She successfully stole $2685 from the bank, before texting her accomplice, Tayla Stahl-Smith, speaking of an urge to steal again.
She told Stahl-Smith she had another idea, and Stahl-Smith later testified to say the pair scoped out Windsor RSL to plan a second attack.
She fronted Penrith District court on Tuesday, where Judge Stephen Hanley acknowledged ‘the young offender posed little threat to the community,’
She alleges the pair went to Parklea Markets together to buy knives to use in addition with the toy guns.
Stahl-Smith said she stalled to the point of causing the plan to collapse.
Royna admitted to holding up the bank, but denies Stahl-Smith’s allegations regarding any plans for a second robbery.
She admitted to using cocaine and ecstacy for a year before her drug habit escalated to daily ice use.
Judge Hanley believed she was now sober and noted her prior clean record.
Royna will be eligible in 2020 after serving a 20 month sentence for the heist.
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