A former real estate worker didn't "provide the muscle" in a violent group robbery directed by a drug-dealing former dog groomer, a judge has ruled.
"Significant fear was instilled in the victim, including at one point the fear of being killed," Justice David Mossop said on Tuesday.
The judge said the worker, Haylie Ellen Sibley, 39, became involved in the confined robbery "at the direction of" 45-year-old Natalie Marie Hyde.
Both women faced an ACT Supreme Court trial in September last year, after which a jury found them guilty of aggravated robbery and forcible confinement.
Hyde also pleaded guilty to several other charges, including trafficking in a controlled drug and possessing items suspected of being proceeds of crime.
On Tuesday, Justice Mossop sentenced Hyde, who had already spent 483 days behind bars, to more than three years in jail to be served by way of an intensive correction order in the community.
For her "less significant involvement", Sibley was sentenced to a 15-month jail term, which the judge elected to wholly suspend on the proviso she enter into a two-year good behaviour order.
Justice Mossop said Hyde had worked most of her life as a dog groomer and Sibley had held a real estate license for 15 years.
The latter, who had previously served 33 days in custody, wiped away tears during sentencing proceedings.
Later, Sibley asked reporters outside court to "f--- off".
'Have the money to me within 30 minutes'
Summarising the facts of the case, the judge said the victim owed Hyde money she had lent him for food, fuel and drugs "on credit", in early 2022.
When he allegedly failed to repay Hyde, who "dealt drugs to support her habit", the woman became angry months later and texted the victim: "Have the money to me within 30 minutes."
When the victim drove to a Conder address at Hyde's request, Sibley, with another man, pulled up in a car behind him.
Justice Mossop said that man entered the victim's car, sat in the front passenger seat, and yelled: "Get out or I'll hit you with a hammer."
The victim was then forced inside the house with the man still yelling and swinging the hammer near him.
The judge said Hyde arrived a short time later with two other men and hit the victim on the back of his head a number of times.
She asked him "why are you lying to me?" and questioned if he was an undercover police officer.
He was also made to drink from a glass filled with clear liquid, which he said made him feel dizzy and unable to speak. Police analysed the contents and found no traces of drugs.
Justice Mossop said there was an "agreement" between Hyde, Sibley and the others to hold the victim hostage and extract "anything of value" from him.
The group searched the victim's car, took $50 cash from him, forced him to unlock his phone and attempted to access his Centrelink, My Gov and bank accounts.
"[The forcible confinement] was premeditated and instilled fear and inflicted injuries on the victim," the judge said.
"It lasted one hour, there was some violence and limited injuries. Although at one stage he feared for his life."
The victim eventually asked to go to the toilet, where he locked the door, kicked the window's fly screen, jumped out and escaped.
