Man jailed for Derrimut McDonald’s hold up

A man has been jailed for four years for assaulting three police officers and an early morning, ice-fuelled armed hold-up at Derrimut last year.

Mark Tovale pleaded guilty in the County Court last month to armed robbery and theft on April 13 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to three charges of assaulting police officers during his arrest at Ascot Vale the following month.

A sentencing hearing on May 12 this year heard Tovale went to a McDonald’s restaurant at Derrimut, entering through an open rear door, at 4.04am.

He was armed with a knife and wore a mask and green gardening gloves.

The 22-year-old approached a male employee from behind and held the knife against his throat, saying: “Get the money”.

The employee was then ordered to empty the safe in the manager’s office.

Tovale also took a wallet and packet of cigarettes from a female employee.

On the way out, he told his male victim: “Sorry, bro, that’s all we wanted, that’s all we wanted.”

After his arrest, Tovale admitted to police he’d been using ice.

“I don’t remember about anything … I wake up in the morning, like, whoah, what the f—, where am I … you know?”

Judge Sue Pullen said Tovale’s armed theft had been “absolutely frightening” for the male victim.