A Ravenswood man has been remanded after being found guilty of punching another man and stealing his bike. A jury took less than 40 minutes to find Ricky Lee Smith-Towns, 27, guilty of robbing Ziggy Hancock-Yost on the corner of Blyth Street and Prossers Forest Road at Ravenswood. Smith-Towns was angry Mr Hancock-Yost had continued to message his partner on Facebook, despite warning him two weeks before the robbery on October 12 to cease contact. The two men weren't friends, but they both lived at Ravenswood for several years and were neighbours at one point, so they'd say hello if they saw each other in the street. Mr Hancock-Yost messaged Smith-Towns' partner several times over the past eight years because the couple was always on and off. On the day of the robbery, Mr Hancock-Yost was riding home from a friend's house when he was punched off his bike by Smith-Towns. While giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr Hancock-Yost said he saw Smith-Towns walking towards the Blyth Street units with his bicycle after he was punched. Smith-Towns flipped the bike upside down while standing at the units and told Mr Hancock-Yost to come and get it. But Mr Hancock-Yost stayed at the corner, called his father and the police, and paced up and down like a "headless chook" while he waited for them both to arrive. In a police interview three days after the incident, Smith-Towns said he didn't have the bike and he tried to punch Mr Hancock-Yost but missed. About two months before the Launceston Supreme Court trial, Smith-Towns returned the stolen bike and apologised to Mr Hancock-Yost about the incident. During sentencing submissions, crown prosecutor Luke Ogden said Smith-Towns had a considerable record for dishonesty, driving and firearm offences. Smith-Towns had also previously been sentenced over two indictable assaults - one in August 2010 and another in May 2016. A victim impact statement was supplied to Justice Michael Brett from Mr Hancock-Yost. Smith-Towns was remanded in custody to reappear on Friday when defence lawyer Hannah Phillips will make her sentencing submissions.
