A young man involved in the armed robbery of a Melbourne gun shop has been released from custody after spending more than a year behind bars.
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Nathan Johnson, 21, expected to receive a few thousand dollars in payment for his small role in the January 2018 crime at O'Reilly's Firearms, Thornbury.
He sat in the getaway car when four other young men - disguised and wearing gloves - allegedly broke into the shop, holding a gun to the owner's head and stealing 37 firearms.
The burglars allegedly carried with them a gun, a sledgehammer, a crowbar and bags - loading them with guns after breaking the glass display cabinets.
The entire heist took less than four minutes.
After the crime, Johnson moved some items from the getaway car into his personal car, then drove to a park at Moonee Ponds to burns the offenders' clothes.
He was arrested about a week later and has been in custody since, for a total of 483 days.
Johnson has since pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery.
County Court of Victoria Judge George Georgiou noted Johnson was not directly involved in the armed robbery, did not brandish a weapon, and did not drive the allegedly stolen getaway car.
"I was told you are a young, immature person who was easily led," Judge Georgiou said while sentencing on Monday.
"I accept you did little to facilitate the commission of the offence.
"Your friends and family cannot believe you became involved in this offence, it being so uncharacteristic."
Johnson, who has no criminal history, was released by the court on Monday and placed on a two-year community corrections order.
Australian Associated Press
