A woman who grabbed the arm of a knife-wielding teenager during an armed robbery at a Burnie bottle shop “believed she was going to die”, a Tasmanian court has heard.
The customer and her partner stepped in to stop the 14-year-old boy during the attempted robbery at BWS in Shorewell Park on November 10, 2025.
The pair’s intervention has left the woman with lasting trauma, the Supreme Court of Tasmania was told.
The boy, who cannot be named, was recognised by a staff member as he approached the store. She tried to lock the doors but they did not lock in time.
He entered wearing a black face covering and carrying a backpack and walked to the spirits aisle. The customer asked him not to steal anything.
He then pulled a knife from his tracksuit pants, grabbed a bottle of whisky and pointed the blade at her neck.
Fearing for her safety, the court heard she grabbed his arm to stop the knife getting any closer. A struggle broke out.
Her partner, who had been waiting in a car outside, ran in and put the boy in a headlock, allowing her to take the knife from him.
He then escorted the teenager out of the store and tried to push him away, but the boy did not immediately leave. The partner held him against a wall.
During the confrontation outside, the boy slapped the partner in the face, knocking off his sunglasses.
He told the partner he needed money to feed his family before threatening to return with more people and weapons.
About 10 minutes later, he came back with four others and tried to force entry to the store, punching and kicking the glass door and throwing a wooden sign at it.
Justice Tamara Jago said the customer had been “badly affected” by the ordeal.
“She believed she was going to die,” Justice Jago said.
“She describes that she is now constantly anxious and hypervigilant and living in a constant state of uncertainty. She has experienced nightmares.”
The judge said the boy had previously appeared in court over destroy property, affray and stealing offences committed when he was just 13.
“It was appalling that you subjected them to conduct which was both dangerous and threatening,” Justice Jago told the boy.
The teenager was sentenced to 12 months detention, backdated to his arrest in November.
He is eligible for release on May 11, after which he will serve 18 months probation.
