Jeremy Richards and suppressed man found guilty of violent home invasions at Wasleys

Two intruders who threatened homeowners at gunpoint to steal their weed crops - before fleeing the scene with their “misguided” getaway driver - await their fate.

Two men who threatened homeowners at gunpoint to steal their marijuana plants – while their getaway driver acted as a scout – will need to wait until next year to learn their fate.

Jeremy Joseph Zico Richards, 40, and another man, whose details are suppressed, faced sentencing submissions in the District Court on Friday for their roles in the violent home invasions.

During the men’s trial, Michael Foundas, for the prosecution, told the court the group of men broke into two neighbouring properties in Wasleys, 20km north of Gawler on March 29, 2020.

The court heard the first homeowner Geoffrey Bown was woken just after 3.30am and confronted by masked intruders.

“At least one of the offenders was armed – one with a sawn-off rifle, the other with a sawn-off shotgun,” Mr Foundas said.

Jeremy Richards. Photo: Facebook

The court heard Mr Bown, who had the shotgun pointed in his face, was struck with one of the firearms and ordered to get on his knees.

The court heard Mr Bown’s partner, Catherine Hock was also threatened while she lay in bed and was told to keep her head under the covers or risk being shot.

The couple’s 13-year-old son was asleep in his bedroom down the hall.

“Wearing nothing but his underwear he (Mr Bown) was forced out of his bedroom into the rear of the property where his hands were tied behind his back and he was threatened to be shot if he didn’t co-operate,” Mr Foundas said.

“As Mr Bown was lying there on the boot of his car … he could hear the intruders attempting to cut out the cannabis plants he had growing behind his shed.”

Mr Foundas said the group then moved on to Shaun Richards’ home next door.

Mr Richards was woken by his dog’s continuous growling and retrieved a machete before confronting the intruders in his kitchen.

He struck one of the intruders with the machete, the court heard.

“That intruder then yelled out to his accomplice … ‘just shoot him, just shoot him’,” Mr Foundas said.

The court heard Mr Richards was kicked by one of the men, but managed to strike the intruder with the machete a second time.

Mr Foundas said the alleged motive for the robberies was that Mr Bown and Mr Richards were growing marijuana in their homes.

Richards, of Old Noarlunga, and the other man were found guilty by a jury in August of serious criminal trespass, attempted robbery, threatening to cause harm and false imprisonment.

Their co-accused, Leslie Jay Mather, 46, and Adam Christopher Murch, 48, were acquitted of all counts.

Leslie Mather. Photo: Facebook

Adam Murch. Photo: Facebook

The men’s getaway driver, Amy-Lee Mae Coller, 32, was sentenced in May after pleading guilty to the same charges.

She was sentenced to three years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of one year and six months, after her “misguided loyalty” to her partner led to her participation.

It was suspended on $1000, two-year good behaviour bond.

Amy Coller-Lee was sentenced for being the getaway driver in two home invasions. Photo: Facebook

Amy-Lee Coller dodged jail for her role in the offending. Photo: Facebook

Victim impact statements were read to the District Court during Coller’s sentencing.

Mr Bown and Ms Hock said their lives had been changed forever because of the offending and they lived in fear.

“I thought I was going to die, that my partner was going to die,” Ms Hock said.

Mr Richards said he now couldn’t sleep more than four hours every night, while Mr Richards’ partner said she couldn’t unsee the shotgun pointed at her.

“Blood was everywhere; it took me four days to clean it up. That is a smell I won’t forget,” she said.

In the District Court on Tuesday, the court heard the suppressed man maintains his innocence and an appeal is underway.

Judge Emily Telfer adjourned the men’s charges until February for sentencing.