The quiet farming township of Garvoc used to be home to a busy shop and pub.
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But nowadays its small public toilet block is all that attracts passing traffic on the Princes Highway.
The same toilets were the scene of a violent armed robbery involving six south-west men in the early hours of April 14, 2018.
A festering grudge over an alleged stolen car resulted in two men being lured to Garvoc to sell drugs.
The pair were bashed with a metal pipe and then robbed. One was paid to provide a lift and left with multiple loose teeth.
The full story can now be told after court hearings, stretching more than two years, wrapped up this week.
The court process was drawn out because one offender fled interstate to avoid apprehension and a victim refused to give evidence in Warrnambool's first compulsory examination hearing.
County Court Judge Paul Higham said on Thursday the offending placed the two victims "in a vulnerable position in the middle of the night". He said the offending was "serious, unprovoked and committed in company".
The violent robbery stemmed from Andrew David Dwyer, 34, believing 26-year-old Jayden McKenna had stolen his car, which resulted in a plan being formulated to lure him to a deserted public toilet in Garvoc.
On April 13, 2018, Dwyer drove to the home of Christopher Fortescue, 27, and asked him to contact McKenna and organise a drug deal so the man could be assaulted and robbed.
McKenna, who had no transport, requested a second victim, who cannot be named, to drive him to the toilet block.
They arrived about 2.30am under the guise McKenna was meeting Fortescue to sell him $1500 of methamphetamine.
A short conversation occurred between the pair before a second vehicle arrived carrying Timothy Barden, 40, Dylan Cosgrove, 32, and Sean Kurukchi, 40.
Cosgrove and Kurukchi approached the victim's car from behind.
Cosgrove smashed the rear driver's side window while Kurukchi opened the driver's door and punched the driver.
The victims were ordered to get out of the car. When the driver attempted to leave, Cosgrove used a piece of metal pipe to hit the man in the arm, twice across his knee and to his face.
The victim was then ordered to exit the vehicle, get on his knees and empty his pockets. He complied, handing over his wallet and mobile phone.
McKenna attempted to flee the vehicle but was wrestled to the ground and struck multiple times to the body and face.
The victims were then forced into the back of the car and the three men drove away.
The group drove to an abandoned house before the victims were dropped off at McKenna's house.
Barden, who drove Cosgrove and Kurukchi to the toilet block, remained in his car during the incident.
Judge Higham said although Barden did not leave his vehicle, he was "fully aware of what was to take place".
He said Kurukchi was an "active participant" but Cosgrove was the "primary assailant" - arriving armed, leading the charge and striking the victim "whose only offence was to drive McKenna to the rendezvous".
"(It was) a completely unprovoked attack that placed him in fear of his life," the judge said.
Cosgrove and Kurukchi pleaded guilty to armed robbery and two counts each of intentionally causing injury.
The pair were both jailed to four years and one month.
Cosgrove will serve a non-parole period of two years and seven months.
Kurukchi, who has a more extensive criminal history, will be eligible for parole after three years.
Barden pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury and robbery.
He also pleaded guilty to drug and weapon offences that stemmed from a search warrant at his house.
He was jailed for two years and 10 months with a non-parole period of 23 months.
Dwyer was jailed for three months and placed on a 12-month corrections order. Fortescue was convicted and fined $8000.
Both men indicated they would be prepared to give evidence in future proceedings.
McKenna refused to provide a statement to police and did not cooperate in Warrnambool's first compulsory examination hearing in December 2018.
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