The son of an ACT government minister has turned his life around after he robbed a kebab shop at knifepoint last year, using his struggle with drugs to help educate young Canberrans.
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The "dramatic" turnaround of Lloyd Edwin Burch, 21, son of Labor MLA Joy Burch, has helped him avoid time behind bars for the robbery of the Phillip Ali Baba in October last year.
Lloyd Burch was battling drug and alcohol problems when he robbed the takeaway store, demanding money and threatening staff.
As he left, bystanders intervened and tackled him to the ground.
He was arrested, charged with aggravated robbery, and pleaded guilty soon after.
Justice John Burns deferred sentencing Lloyd Burch in April, giving him a chance to show he could rehabilitate and stay away from drugs and crime.
The court heard on Thursday that Lloyd Burch had not only complied with the conditions of his deferred sentence order, but gone beyond them.
The young offender had used his experience to help educate students, sometimes in groups of hundreds, at schools across Canberra.
The speaking program, run by Menslink, was something Lloyd Burch volunteered for proactively, and not because of any order of the court.
"It is not often that people who are given an opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to turn their lives around ... respond with the same degree of enthusiasm and success shown by the prisoner," Justice Burns said on Thursday.
The offender had also kept away from drugs and alcohol, and had not committed any further offences.
He planned to study engineering at university, complete his apprenticeship, and continue speaking at schools.
His barrister, Alyn Doig, said Lloyd Burch's parents had also noticed a dramatic change in their son in the past six months.
Crown prosecutor Soraya Saikal acknowledged Lloyd Burch had complied with the order, and that his volunteering with Menslink was a form of community service, which was likely to be more meaningful than other community work.
Justice Burns imposed a sentence of two years and six months imprisonment, which was fully suspended.
Lloyd Burch was put on a good behaviour order for two years, and will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
Justice Burns did not sentence Lloyd Burch to community service or periodic detention, saying he was reluctant to have him mix back in with a bad crowd.
Lloyd Burch appeared in court in a wheelchair, due to fractured legs he'd suffered in an accident.
Those injuries also made community service and periodic detention impossible for some months, the court heard.
Justice Burns warned him that he needed to focus on continuing to rebuild his life, and said it would be "all too easy to slip back into old habits".
"I've given you an opportunity to avoid serving two-and-a-half years in prison," he said.
"It's up to you now whether you make the most of it."
