 TWO teenagers accused of robbing a US bank will plead guilty and ask to serve their time in an Australian prison.
| "Please, sah! I wanna go back to Alice Springs!" |
Lawyers for Luke Carroll and Anthony Prince said they were hoping for a plea bargain to have their sentence reduced from the maximum 25 years in jail to five. The teenagers are then expected to be transferred to Australia to serve their sentences, under a US-Australia prisoner transfer agreement. Carroll and Prince have been in jail since March after being charged in relation to a $171,000 US bank heist. The 19-year-old dim-witted robbers from the NSW north coast were caught after a teller in the ski village of Vail, Colorado recognised them during their ill-fated hold-up.
| "We're sorry, yer honor! We wuz drinkin' beer, an' get the idea we wuz Ned Kelly. Or one of us wuz, anyway. I ain't sure which one..." |
Prince's lawyer Warren Williamson said while the evidence the two teens committed the robbery was "overwhelming", he would argue for reduced sentences based on Prince's lack of prior bank-robbing offences, his age and quick confession and continued remorse.
| Yeah, right. I have a lack of prior bank robbing offenses, too. Does that mean I get to pull one, and only one, robbery of Bank of America? "Careful now, lad! Youse only gets one crack at this!" For that matter, how do they know they have a lack of prior bank robbing offenses? Or do they mean only bank robbing offenses they've been jugged for? |
Mr Williamson would not reveal why the teens committed the robbery but did say they were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the offence.
"He thought he was Ned Kelly!"
"Did not! It was you as thought you wuz Ned Kelly!"
"Huh huh! He said 'Ned Kelly'!"
"Did not! You said it first!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Bailiff! Whack their pee-pees!"
"Owwww!"
"Owwww!" |
The Denver-based public defence lawyer said he spoke with Prince every day and the former Lismore local was "making the best out of a difficult situation".
| "He was an educated man, an alligator wrestler..." |
"He is corresponding with friends and family," he said. "He's doing some growing up."
| Give him the whole 25 years. Then he can grow up all the way. |
Luke Carroll's lawyer, Dan Smith, said he was also plea-bargaining for his client. He said the Byron Bay teen was "doing pretty good under the circumstances". Prince's plea hearing is set for June 15 at the Denver Federal Court, while Carroll's plea will be heard on June 21. |