Friends, family or lovers – these SA criminals worked together to commit their crimes
From a couple with a sinister secret to mates growing weed together, these partners in crime tag teamed to break the law and faced the consequences together in court.
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From friends seeking revenge to a woman’s brazen attempt to smuggle her boyfriend drugs in jail, there are plenty of duos who found themselves in trouble with the law.
Here are South Australia’s partners in crime who faced court recently and the consequences they faced.
Steaven and Donna Polak
A brother and sister who started selling methamphetamine to fund their own addiction to the “dreadful drug” narrowly avoided jail.
Murray Bridge siblings Steaven Wayne Polak, 38, and Donna Lee Polak, 33, were sentenced for a methamphetamine bust.
Magistrate Simon Smart told the Adelaide Magistrates Court police attended a Murray Bridge property on June 16, 2019 where Donna was living and her brother Steaven stayed periodically.
“In your bedroom police located a handbag containing $60 cash, a plastic resealable bag containing 12.3g of a substance, containing 9.8g of methamphetamine,” Mr Smart said while sentencing Donna.
“The value of the methamphetamine is $6150.”
Both siblings had previously pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to trafficking methamphetamine.
Mr Smart then sentenced Steaven.
“In the garage to the house police located a plastic resealable bag containing 12.6g of powder, containing 10.3 of a methamphetamine in a small locked toolbox in a locked cupboard,” Mr Smart said.
The court heard police also found plastic resealable bags, ice pipes and valued the cost of the methamphetamine between $6300 and $12600.
Mr Smart sentenced both Polaks’ to two years jail, with a non parole period of 14-months.
The sentence was suspended on a 18-month good behaviour bond of $500.
Cooper Standley and Jordan Wiseman
Two mates teamed up to grow and sell marijuana in efforts to make some quick cash, one to repay a debt and the other to fuel his own drug habit.
Cooper John Standley, 23, and Jordan Andrew Wiseman, 23, avoided jail in the Adelaide District Court for their significant marijuana enterprise.
The court heard Wiseman attended a Nailsworth Pack and Send store on June 2, last year and arranged for a large box to be sent to Western Australia.
“Employees of the store phoned police because the heavily taped package appeared to be suspicious,” Judge Liesl Chapman said during sentencing.
Inside the package were 12 sealed bags of marijuana, weighing 5.61kg.
“The potential value of the drug you were sending to Western Australia, if sold locally, was just over $29,000 if sold in pound lots,” Judge Chapman said.
Standley, of Seaton, and Wiseman, of Waikerie, had previously pleaded guilty to cultivating a controlled plant, while Wiseman also pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking.
The court heard Standley, who was friends with Wiseman from school, asked for his help knowing he would have experience growing marijuana.
Judge Chapman sentenced Standley to nine months jail, suspended on two-year good behaviour bond.
Wiseman was sentenced to four years and six months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and seven months.
The sentence was suspended on a three-year good behaviour bond, with two years supervision.
Michelle Perry and Joshua Nicholls
A weed-growing mother and her drug-dealing son faced court after neighbours tipped police off about the marijuana crop growing next door to them.
Michelle Sandra Lesley Perry, 38, led son Joshua Nicholls, 20, “down the wrong path” after he was also charged with drug offences, following her illegal crop being uncovered.
A police prosecutor told the Adelaide Magistrates Court that police attended Perry and Nicholl’s address after receiving reports that a marijuana crop was growing on the premises.
“The defendant’s house was searched and police located 10 mature cannabis plants growing throughout the rear yard,” the police prosecutor said.
Police searched Nicholl’s car and found 28g of marijuana.
“A search of his phone showed that there were text messages and Facebook messages consistent with the defendant being involved in the buying and selling of cannabis, along with photos of him posing in front of the cannabis plants,” the police prosecutor said.
Perry pleaded guilty to cultivating more than the prescribed number of cannabis plants, while Nicholls pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Summer Ruru and Karl Hassan
A woman recruited her ex to bash her new partner in a violent robbery so she could leave an alleged domestic violent relationship.
Summer Apimaira Ruru, 26, and Karl John Hassan, 33, were sentenced in the Adelaide District Court after they were caught “red handed” in their plan.
The court heard Ruru had been in a relationship with the victim for about a month.
“You say that relationship was an unhealthy one and marked by domestic violence,” Judge Timothy Heffernan said during sentencing.
The court heard Ruru and Hassan had previously been in a relationship together and have a child together.
Hassan contacted Ruru who instigated a plan with him.
The court heard Hassan and three associates arrived at midnight on October 28, 2018 at Morphett Vale.
“You burst in through the front door and into the victim’s bedroom … you, Hassan were wearing a hockey mask,” Judge Heffernan said.
The court heard Hassan and his associates, also wearing disguises, were armed with baseball bats and sticks.
“The victim was struck with bats by at least two of you to his neck, head and arm,” Judge Heffernan said.
“He believed that you, Ms Ruru had been abducted which is what you wanted him to believe to avert suspicion from yourself.”
Hassan, of Taperoo, was found guilty in trial of assault and theft while Ruru, of Findon, had previously pleaded guilty to serious criminal trespass, theft and assault.
Judge Heffernan sentenced Ruru to two years and nine months jail, with a non-parole of one year and seven months.
He ordered the sentence be served on home detention.
Judge Heffernan sentenced Hassan to three years and seven months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and two months.
Izac Marrone and Adam Burston
A Year 12 student’s involvement in setting fire to a car, completely destroying it, was “out of character”, a court has heard.
Izac Raffaele Marrone, 19, and Adam Beau Burston, 21, were sentenced for their role in the“targeted attack”.
Detectives from the Crime Gangs Task Force arrested Marrone, Burston and two others, all alleged to have links to an outlawed motorcycle gang, following an investigation into a deliberately lit car fire in July at Croydon Park.
Patrols and MFS crews were called to Lamont St, Croydon Park on July 12, last year after reports of a Subaru sedan on fire in the driveway.
Marrone and Burston were captured on CCTV pouring petrol over the car while it was parked in the driveway before setting it alight.
The Subaru, valued under $30,000, was completely destroyed in the attack which police allege the group committed after leaving a party.
The “principal offender” of the arson, Burston, 21, was handed a suspended sentence for his role.
Both men had previously pleaded guilty to arson.
Magistrate Kym Millard sentenced Marrone to an 18-month good behaviour bond for $500.
Marrone was also ordered to complete 320 hours of community service within 12 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Harry Dye and Shantelle McCormack
A woman was told she’s on her last chance after her brazen attempt at smuggling her boyfriend drugs in jail.
Harry Charles Dye, 27, and Shantelle Samantha McCormack, 25, were sentenced in the Adelaide District Court after their unsophisticated enterprise was uncovered.
The court heard Dye was serving a jail sentence at Yatala Labour Prison.
“He and McCormack made arrangements to smuggle the buprenorphine into the jail in the form of Suboxone strips,” Judge Stephen McEwen said during sentencing.
The court heard the police searched McCormack’s Gilles Plains house on April 16, last year and found a fabricated lawyers letter.
“This was the methodology of smuggling in the Suboxone strips,” Judge McEwen said.
“Attached to the back of that false lawyers letter were 31 Suboxone strips, totalling 1.5g.”
The court heard police also found a further 65 Suboxone strips in the house, weighing 3.1g.
Both Dye, of Davoren Park, and McCormack, of Gilles Plains, had previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and dishonestly dealing with documents.
Judge McEwen sentenced Dye to one year and 10 months jail, with a non-parole period of 18-months.
Dye now has a new non-parole period of five years and one month, backdated to May, 2018.
Judge McEwen sentenced McCormack to one year and one month jail, with a non-parole period of nine-months.
The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.
Dayne Askew and Brody Kavanagh
Two men set a car on fire in an act of revenge, believing that the owner had stolen money from one of them.
Dayne Aaron Askew, 27, and Brody Owen Kavanagh, 28, were sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for the dangerous act.
The duo set a car valued at under $30,000 on fire at Clearview on April 18.
Oliver Cole, for Askew, told the court he and the victim had been watching a sporting game together a week prior and Askew had fallen asleep.
“Upon waking up he discovered there was around $1000 missing from his draw,” Mr Cole said.
“In his eyes, the complainant was the only person who would have had the opportunity to have taken that.”
The court heard the victim paid Askew a small amount of the money but then demanded it back.
Penelope Davis, for Kavanagh, told the court Kavanagh had been drinking with Askew the night of the arson attack and went along with it “to protect him”.
Askew, of Enfield, and Kavanagh, of Rostrevor, both pleaded guilty to arson.
Magistrate Brett Dixon sentenced the duo to four months jail, suspended on a 12 month good behaviour bond of $100.
Nola Inman and Adilla Chol
A woman viciously attacked her ex-partner and another woman – in the company of her accomplice – because she was fuelled by jealousy.
Nola Elaine Inman, 40, and Adilla Chol, 27, were sentenced for the joint enterprise which left lasting impacts on their victims.
The Adelaide District Court heard that Inman and Chol attended the victim’s house on July 21, 2018 at Kilburn.
“Ms Inman had previously been in a relationship with (the homeowner) and her actions that night were fuelled by jealousy,” Judge Paul Muscat said during sentencing.
The court heard the man had met another woman earlier that day and invited her back to his house.
“Upon realising that (the woman) was present, Ms Inman and Ms Chol entered the house through the front window,” Judge Muscat said.
Inman and Chol assaulted the man in the hallway.
“Ms Inman then assaulted (the woman), striking her multiple times to the head and face causing fractures to both of her eye sockets,” Judge Muscat said.
Inman, of Blair Athol, and Chol, of Findon, had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm.
Judge Muscat sentenced Inman to three years jail, with a non parole period of 16-months.
The sentence was suspended on a 18-month good behaviour bond.
Judge Muscat took into account that Chol had spent 55 days in custody and more than six months on home detention and discharged her with no further penalty.
A conviction was recorded.
Ian Whitford and Jason De Ruwe
A man was jailed after telling police he wouldn’t stop making cannabis oil once they busted him the first time.
Ian David John Whitford, 57, and Jason Allan De Ruwe, 47, were sentenced in the Adelaide District Court for their joint enterprise.
The court heard police attended a Morphett Vale property on June 20, 2020 and found four marijuana plants.
“Police also located a large number of items associated with the processing of cannabis and manufacture of cannabis oil,” Judge Simon Stretton said during sentencing.
Police found 18.92g of cannabis oil, as well as scales, grinder and a blender.
They returned on June 23, 2020 and found further cannabis oil and Facebook messages from Whitford showing he was intending to sell it.
Whitford and De Ruwe, both of Morphett Vale, had previously pleaded guilty to cultivating a controlled plant and manufacturing cannabis oil.
The court heard De Ruwe had been Whitford’s carer for the past six years.
Judge Stretton sentenced Whitford to eight months jail.
De Ruwe was sentenced to four months jail, suspended on a good behaviour bond for two years, with supervision for 12-months.
Shaun Brandon and Hayley Short-Larking
Ice pipes, $450 cash and a tick list showing outstanding drug debts were found in a couple’s Goolwa South bedroom.
The sentencing judge blasted the drug-dealing pair for contributing to the “grave harm done to persons who are involved in this insidious trade”.
Two mobile phones were also seized from their home, containing messages proving Shaun Michael Brandon, 32, was involved in meth trafficking.
About 15.5g of methylamphetamine with a purity of 70 per cent was found in various plastic containers on their bedside table, while a collection of drug paraphernalia was discovered.
The tick list – a list of names who owe drug money to a dealer – showed Brandon was owed more than $1000 in drug debts at one point in time.
Judge Paul Cuthbertson handed Brandon a prison sentence of six years and two months, with a non-parole period of three years and two months.
Brandon’s girlfriend and co-accused, Hayley Carol Short-Larking, 20, was also convicted of drug trafficking.
She was given a suspended jail sentence of two years and ordered to serve 150 hours of community service.
Jay Dorian and Crystal Wallace
Two Port Lincoln parents have faced court after police uncovered a growing set up inside their home.
Jay Dorian Fitzgerald and Crystal Heather Marie Wallace appeared in the Port Lincoln Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis plants-artificially enhanced cultivation.
Accompanied in court by their four-week-old baby, the pair told Magistrate David McLeod they had been growing cannabis for Fitzgerald’s personal use.
Police Prosecutor Mick Hart told the court just after 1.30pm on September 20, 2019, officers arrived at a Port Lincoln home with a search warrant.
Police found a hydroponic set up with one cannabis plant growing in a plastic garden pot and equipment including two LED lamps, a heater, a water drip dispenser and a lamp shade.
Both parents were placed on a $500, 12-month good behaviour bond.
Convictions were recorded for Fitzgerald.
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