Tara Murray
A man has been sentenced to more than six years in jail following a carjacking in St Albans in 2017.
Qasim House was last month sentenced to six years and three years imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years and nine months, having pleaded guilty to charges of attempted aggravated carjacking, prohibited person possess firearm, reckless conduct endangering persons, theft and handling stolen goods.
He has already served more than three years in jail.
The court heard that on the day of the incident, House and his partner Yen Ngo smoked heroin at Ms Ngo’s home. Ms Ngo made statements about not wanting to live and produced a firearm. In a fight for the weapon she was shot in the chest.
House took Ms Ngo to Sunshine Hospital and left her there. She later died.
The court heard that as House was leaving the hospital car park he collided with a car, continued along Furlong Road against a red light and collided with a Toyota Hilux.
Court then approach a Mazda 2 stopped at the lights and, armed with a fire arm, tried to open the driver’s door of the vehicle.
He smashed the window with the weapon, but failed to gain entry as the driver drove through a red light to escape.
House then walked back to the Toyota, with the driver no longer in the car.
Police had already been called and were on the scene. When they approached House he drove off in the Toyota.
He was involved in another accident near the intersection of Cooke Avenue and Furlong Road, where he was arrested.
Justice Lesley Taylor said given House’s long history of criminal behaviour and drug use she found his prospects of rehabilitation to be guarded.
House had previously been tried twice by a jury on charges relating to the death of Ms Ngo.
“The first jury acquitted you of murder but could not return a verdict with respect to manslaughter,” Ms Taylor said.
“The second jury was also hung with respect to the charge of manslaughter. “
