It took two abandoned trials and almost three years before a Canberra man finally received justice for an aggravated robbery in 2009.
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But Sammy Strano will be eligible for parole next year.
Strano pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to aggravated robbery.
Justice Hilary Penfold sentenced the 47-year-old to three years and four months jail, backdated to April 2012 to take into account time spent in custody, with a non-parole period of 22 months.
The court heard Strano and a co-offender robbed a man of $3800 in March, 2009.
The co-offender knew the victim had an amount of cash after a divorce settlement.
He offered to drive the victim to buy cigarettes and picked up Strano on the way.
Strano sat behind the victim and when the car was moving grabbed him from behind, forcing him to hand over the cash.
The victim was pushed out of the car soon after.
Strano and his co-offender were arrested the following day.
Strano initially pleaded not guilty, maintaining the plea for 20-months and through an abandoned trial, before finally admitting to the crime on the eve of a second hearing.
He will be eligible for parole in February 2014.