A Berkeley man who robbed a pizza delivery driver of $50 cash - only to go and spend the money on McDonald's - was high on ice and feeling hungry when he carried out the crime, a court has heard.
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The victim, a UOW masters student, had just finished his second last delivery at Oak Flats on the evening of June 18 this year when Nicholas Coelho pulled up alongside him in a black Volkswagon Golf and asked for $10 to buy some pizza.
"It [the money] is not mine, it's our company money so I can't give it to you," the victim responded.
Coelho told the driver he'd seen him putting the cash inside a blue pouch in the car and to give him the money.
Coelho then pulled his right arm out of the car window and produced a star-shaped screwdriver, which he pointed at the victim.
"I'm serious, get me the money," Coelho told the driver.
"I'll count to 10 or else I will hit you."
The victim later told police he was shocked and scared and started to panic but managed to tell Coelho "give me a second".
He then fished $10 out of the pouch and handed it to Coelho, however Coelho was not satisfied and demanded "all of it".
The victim grabbed all of the notes and handed them to Coelho, who drove away.
The driver contacted his manager in tears and the incident was reported to police, who immediately broadcast a description of Coelho and his vehicle to patrolling cars.
Officers spotted the Golf in Berkeley a short time later and followed the vehicle to a home in Nolan Street.
Coelho immediately confessed to being on ice when questioned by police, telling them he had been smoking a meth pipe moments before he approached the victim.
He said he took cash from the victim then headed to McDonald's to buy food.
Police discovered the screwdriver, along with a half-finished Quarter Pounder meal and several Dominos vouchers, inside the vehicle during a subsequent search.
Coelho was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
When interviewed, he said "I didn't touch him or anything....I wasn't ever going to hurt him. I'm not a bad person, I was just hungry."
Coelho entered a plea of guilty in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday to a single count of robbery armed with an offensive weapon.
The matter will return to court on November 19 when a sentencing date will be set.
Read more court and crime stories here.
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