Stupid Aussies, part 2 - 'Dumb and dumber' robber pleads guilty

'Dumb and dumber' robber pleads guilty

http://theage.com.au/articles/2005/06/16/1118869021949.html

June 16, 2005 - 11:05AM

The first of Australia's bumbling "Dumb & Dumber" teenage armed bandits, Anthony Prince, has pleaded guilty to the bank robbery that made headlines worldwide.

Prince entered his guilty plea in the US District Court in Denver, Colorado, today.

The US government and Prince's lawyer, Warren Williamson, have recommended in a plea deal Prince serve between four and 10 years in jail.

Judge Phillip Riga, however, could sentence Prince to up to 25 years in prison.

Prince appeared briefly in court, arriving in a yellow prison jumpsuit and his hands handcuffed behind his back.

His parents, Peter and Jennifer, flew from Australia to be in court today.

Prince told the court his guilty plea was voluntary.

The 19-year-old's alleged bank robbing partner, Luke Carroll, is expected to also enter a guilty plea in the same court next week, Carroll's lawyer has said.

The March 21 armed robbery of $US132,000 ($A171,520) from a bank in the ski resort of Vail caught the media's attention for its apparent string of blunders by the two Northern NSW teens.
Their accents tipped police off to their identity.

They also wore name tags during the robbery from a sports store they worked at in Vail.
Vail police also knew of Prince and Carroll after arresting them on January 4 for shooting windows with BB guns. The pair used similar guns in the hold-up of the WestStar Bank.
Prince and Carroll had also attempted to buy one-way tickets to Mexico after the robbery and were eventually caught by security officials at Denver airport. When Prince was captured he had $US7,600 ($A9,875) in cash stuffed down his pants.

They had also dumped a backpack filled with $US26,000 ($A33,784) outside the airport because they thought it would be discovered when they went through metal detectors at the airport.

Prince and Carroll confessed to the robbery soon after their arrest.

The pair were charged with bank robbery by force or violence and face up to 25 years in jail.
The childhood friends were in Vail on a snowboarding working holiday.

The "Dumb & Dumber" nickname comes from comedian Jim Carrey's 1994 film about two dimwits.

- AAP