Suspended jail sentence for Albany man armed with knife at car dealership before damaging car with axe

An Albany man who entered a car dealership armed with a knife, then damaged a car with an axe at another business, has received a suspended prison sentence. Caleb Zachary Edward Banks, 30, appeared in Albany Magistrate’s Court via video link last Thursday, pleading guilty to being armed with a 25cm orange knife and threatening staff members at a car dealership. He also pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage, a breach of protective bail conditions, and trespassing. Police prosecutor Sgt Alan Dean told the court Banks entered a car dealership’s showroom at 4.15pm on June 10 carrying the knife. He demanded to speak to his former partner’s boyfriend, with witnesses describing him as “agitated” and “on a mission”. Staff alerted the manager and ensured the worker Banks was looking for did not go into the showroom. “The accused forced his way into the workshop ... staff thought (the man) was going to be stabbed,” Sgt Dean said. Unsuccessful, Banks told staff he would “be back tomorrow”. On his way out of the dealership, Banks cut his finger with the knife and dripped blood through the premises. Police were called out to the business and arrested Banks after finding the weapon in his vehicle. Less than a week later, at 11am on June 16, Banks attended a business in Centennial Park. Carrying an axe, he approached a red Ford Falcon sedan parked on Albert Street, Sgt Dean told the court. Banks swung the axe twice, causing damage to the spoiler and back panels of the car. At his first court appearance last month, Banks was denied bail because of “concerns relating to his mental health”. He had been held in custody at Albany Regional Prison since his arrest on June 16. Defence lawyer Graeme Payne told the court his client did not dispute what happened, but said there were some “minor discrepancies” with the facts. Mr Payne said Banks’ motivation behind damaging the car with an axe was to gain revenge on a former colleague. Sgt Dean told the court an immediate jail term was “absolutely appropriate”. Banks received a prison sentence of seven months, conditionally suspended for 12 months. He was placed on a 12-month community-based order with supervision and counselling requirements.