Bank robbery victims confront 76-year-old attacker in court after 30 years
Alexander Robert Macdonald, 76, faced two people he held at gunpoint during 1990s NSW bank robberies as sentencing nears.
Two bank employees faced their attacker in Port Macquarie District Court on Wednesday. Alexander Robert Macdonald, 76, pleaded guilty to armed robberies of two NSW banks in the late 1990s.
In October 1996, Macdonald entered a Commonwealth Bank branch in Coonabarabran wearing a balaclava and carrying a sawn-off shotgun. Macdonald grabbed a 22-year-old woman as a human shield and escaped with nearly A$19,000.
About two months later he robbed an ANZ branch at Laurieton, taking a 36-year-old man hostage and stealing A$78,000. Both victims attended court to see him in person.
Macdonald faces up to 25 additional years in prison. He served 25 years in WA prison before being forced to return to Queensland to serve ten years remaining on his sentence.
- 76 years old
- Age at sentencing
- October 1996 and two months later
- Robbery timeline
- A$19,000 and A$78,000
- Amounts stolen
- Up to 25 years in prison
- Potential additional sentence
Why it mattersThe case shows how serious crimes can take decades to resolve and how victim impact persists long after conviction.
AustraliaThis is an NSW court case affecting Australian residents and the local justice system, highlighting how high-profile violent crimes from the 1990s continue to move through Australian courts.
Corroborated byportnews.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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