An intellectually disabled man donned a balaclava and attempted two bungled cash-grabs in a matter of minutes, a court has heard.
The man in his 30s, who was granted name suppression by Judge John Macdonald yesterday, walked away from his endeavours without a cent.
The defendant appeared before the Dunedin District Court after previously pleading guilty to two charges of demanding with menaces.
On the evening of January 9, he approached the Wakari Dairy and Post Centre.
With a home-made balaclava over his head and a screwdriver in his pocket he confronted the shop owner.
''I want your money,'' the defendant said.
The victim immediately recognised who was behind the woollen disguise and told him, prompting the man to remove the headwear and walk out empty-handed.
The defendant did not look much further for his next target - 64m to be precise.
He waited outside the petrol station until it was free of customers.
Again the man put on the balaclava but took a slightly less direct approach with his demands.
''This is a stick-up,'' he said to the cashier.
She told the defendant to leave.
And he did.
The screwdriver remained in his pocket through both incidents and the court heard yesterday that he discarded it on the way home.
Police found the defendant nearby and he immediately admitted his failed efforts.
He said he was ''desperate and wanted cigarettes and money'' and told officers he had made the balaclava earlier at home.
Counsel Meg Scally said the offending stemmed directly from her client's addiction to tobacco.
The man, who lives in a semi-independent environment, now had support from someone who managed his usage.
The defendant, the court heard, had also cut down on his alcohol intake and was seeing the benefits.
Despite the unexpected flashpoints, both victims were generally unaffected by the encounter.
The first said he hoped the man got the help he needed while the service-station staff member said it all seemed ''pretty ridiculous'' at the time.
Despite the defendant stealing tobacco from the same dairy in 2017, Judge Macdonald said he was satisfied the incident was ''out of character'' for the man in the dock.
He was sentenced to four months' community detention and 160 hours' community work.
