They’re called goof dates.

And last week, Victoria provincial court heard all about the phenomenon: An escort and her boyfriend set up a date with another man, asking for cash in exchange for sexual services. The John arrives, the escort collects the money. Then the boyfriend arrives and threatens the John.

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On Friday, Alexander Formosa was sentenced to four months in jail followed by two years probation for setting up two goof dates and robbing would-be Johns of several hundred dollars last year.

Judge L. Wayne Smith found the robberies were serious and aggravated by the threat and use of violence.

“One shudders to think what may have occurred, the danger that was presented to that individual and the terror inflicted on him,” Smith said.

Prosecutor Joselyn Byrne told the court that Formosa, 27, came from a good family but started using drugs. He began setting up goof dates to pay for his addiction. Formosa’s 17-year-old girlfriend, his co-accused, agreed to pose as an escort.

On Sept. 28, a man in his early 20s sent a text message to an ad for an escort posted online by Formosa. The man agreed to spend 90 minutes with an escort for $200.

The girlfriend met the man at the door, led him to the bedroom, took $200 cash and said she would be right back. She told him to strip down and get comfortable.

“Then he heard a male voice,” Byrne said. “Mr. Formosa came in yelling and asking what the hell the man was doing in his house. He came at him with a metal hammer and started swinging the hammer around.”

Formosa left the room and came back swinging a sword and a hammer, yelling at the man to leave. Later that day, the man went to police and gave a statement.

On Oct. 25, a 42-year-old man sent a text to Formosa and arranged to pay $340 for sexual services. After the man gave the cash to the girlfriend, she told him she was going to take a shower and he should wait in the bedroom.

Formosa came rushing in, yelling at the man and striking him several times in the head with a hammer, Byrne said. Formosa put his hands around the man’s throat, pushed him into the closet, threatened to knock him out, then said he’d get his friends to beat him up.

The older man recognized the scam and refused to leave, Byrne said. Formosa phoned police and said someone had broken into his apartment and he was about to be murdered. Police realized what was going on and arrested Formosa. He has been in custody ever since.

Defence lawyer Chantelle Sutton said Formosa’s time in jail has hit home very strongly.

“He does not want to go back to jail. … He wants to get out of this lifestyle and really move on with his life,” she said.

Formosa made an early guilty plea, she noted.

Smith found the age of Formosa’s co-accused to be another aggravating factor.

“You obviously abused that individual. You took advantage of her and she is vulnerable,” Smith said.

The victims were also extremely vulnerable, given their compromising position of going to the residence hoping to get sexual services, Smith said.

The judge took into account that Formosa had no previous criminal record except a breach. He also accepted that the victims were reticent to testify at a trial.

Smith sentenced Formosa to four months concurrent on each robbery. During his probation, he must not contact the co-accused or the complainants.

Formosa must not have any contact by any means with people under the age of 18 years. He shall not be alone in the presence of any person under the age of 18 without the permission of his probation officer.

Formosa must not possess any alcohol or drugs. He shall attend counselling as directed by his probation officer. This may include a full-time attendance for drug and alcohol abuse. He shall not possess any weapons. Formosa must also provide a sample of his DNA.

ldickson@timescolonist.com