A hard-up St Albans man has been spared jail over two armed robberies.
Gollade Abdi Gaite pleaded guilty in the County Court earlier this year to charges of attempted armed robbery and armed robbery.
At a sentencing hearing on July 1, the court heard Gaite, who is autistic, went into a United Petrol Station on June 29 last year wearing a beanie, sunglasses, hooded jumper and gloves.
After placing a bottle of alcohol on the counter, Gaite threatened the shop assistant with a knife and demanded money.
When the assistant refused, Gaite grabbed the alcohol and ran.
On July 7 about 4pm, Gaite demanded money from a female shop assistant at a tobacco store in Heidelberg West.
He stole $550.
He was arrested at Epping on August 3.
Gaite has been living with his mother in St Albans since being released on bail on August 24.
The court heard the 21-year-old was in financial strife and owed nearly $20,000 to financial institutions, Vodafone and Telstra at the time of the offences.
He told the court he had an IQ of 65 and suffered from depression and anxiety.
Justice Katherine Bourke handed Gaite a community corrections order due to his age, mental state and guilty plea.
