South East criminals who fronted court in 2021 and the consequence they faced
From a murderous domestic abuser to a couple who collected horrific child abuse material and a sinister drive-by shooter, these criminals shocked the South East.
Mount Gambier
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From a murderous domestic violence abuser to a thieving former aged-care manager, plenty of South East criminals landed themselves in hot water with the law in 2021.
SAPOL’s data revealed crime slightly increased in Mount Gambier with threatening behaviour up by 50 per cent and 74 more offences against people in 2020-2021 compared to the previous year.
Here is a list of crimes committed in the South East and the consequences the offenders faced.
Bradley Wayne Trussell
Eden Kennett, 25, had her life cut short when she was murdered by her partner Bradley Wayne Trussell after suffering “sustained abuse”.
Bradley Wayne Trussell was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment — though his lawyers planto appeal the verdict.
Trussell, 30, was given a non-parole period of 20 years, the minimum.
Ms Kennett died from fatal brain injuries caused by sustained low blood pressure which was caused by a lacerated liver.
Trussell delayed medical treatment by taking Ms Kennett to his sister’s house before eventually dropping her at the hospital unconscious, bruised from head to toe and frothing at the mouth.
Video footage of the Mount Gambier Hospital showed Ms Kennett being wheeled into the hospital unconscious.
In addition to her lacerated liver, Ms Kennett had head trauma, fractured ribs and more than 40 bruises.
After the verdict was delivered Ms Kennett’s mother Tammy Simpson was happy her daughter’s killer had been jailed but disgusted he had shown no remorse.
“She was 67 of 69 women who died in 2019 as a result of domestic violence,” Ms Simpson said.
“(His appeal) is degrading … I am going to do everything in my power to ensure he serves everyday of that life sentence behind bars.”
Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois
A young dad dragged his girlfriend from bed and choked her in the yard leaving her bloodied, fearing for her life “and shaking with injuries”.
Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois, 30, was sentenced for perpetrating domestic violence against his then girlfriend in the Mount Gambier District Court.
The Glencoe man pleaded guilty to damaging property and unlawfully choking, suffocating or strangling another.
In sentencing, Judge Geraldine Davison said the altercation occurred after the victim told Courbois’ to collect his things which had been left outside the house for him.
He arrived at around 8.30pm, punched a “large hole” in the wall and followed her into the bedroom.
Courbois headbutted his victim in the face before dragging her by the legs off the bed and onto the floor.
“You then crouched over her and placed your forearm against her throat, pushing it into the ground,” Judge Davison said.
This caused the victim to feel like “her head was going to explode” and her eyes and face like they were “bulging”.
Courbois’ defence lawyer Nick Vadasz described the event as “alcohol-fuelled quarrel” adding it was out of character.
However, Judge Davison said alcohol did not excuse domestic violence.
“Your offending was particularly violent and sudden … you left the complainant hysterical and shaking with injuries,” Judge Davison said.
Courbois was sentenced to one year, seven months and seven days with a non-parole of eight months, with the non-parole period to be served on home detention.
Darcie James Ranger and Jessica Marie Glaser
A young Penola couple who descended into life of drug use and child exploitation material have remained together despite the real possibility of facing jail time.
Darcie James Ranger, 26, and his partner Jessica Marie Glaser, 20, were caught by the Australian Federal Police with thousands of images of child exploitation material.
Both were charged with Commonwealth child exploitation material offences while Ranger had an additional charge added.
The court heard Glaser was introduced to the explicit material by Ranger, she was caught with 10,510 images, the majority of which were lower categories of seriousness, while Ranger had almost 2000 items of child abuse, some of which were the most serious.
After pleading guilty in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court it was revealed the pair have been ostracised from the Mount Gambier community.
Judge Press said while there was no indication of grooming or contact offending against children, there were signs in messages between the pair that went “beyond the hallmarks of pure fantasy”.
Judge Press said the couple’s personal circumstances and upbringing “excited sympathy” but the offending was serious.
“That they so quickly lost any sense of moral compass in terms of what is right and what is wrong is probably difficult for them to articulate,” Judge Press said.
Glaser’s defence lawyer, Carrie Demertzis urged for a minimal prison sentence, while Ranger’s lawyer argued though the pair were still in a relationship there was no indication for further offending.
They are due to be sentenced at a later date.
James David Ryan Sharp
The first man in Australia to be charged for possessing a childlike sex doll was also found in possession of over 9,000 images and 128 videos of child exploitation material.
James David Ryan Sharp, 32, who suffers from a “social anxiety disorder” told a psychologist, following his January 2020 arrest, he had thought he ordered an adult-size sex doll, only buy clothes for the childlike doll after receiving it.
Sharp had to leave his Naracoorte home shortly after pleading guilty to five charges relating to the importation of the doll and the child exploitation material following a number of death threats.
Commonwealth prosecutor Alice Bitmead said some of the abuse material found in Sharp’s possession were “hyper-realistic digital images” of abuse against children as young as three.
District Court Judge Gordon Barrett said the material was far from a victimless crime.
“A large proportion of the material depicts female children being physically restrained with rope, collars, chains, blindfolds and duct tape while being sexually abused,” Judge Barrett said.
“Every one of the children depicted in the materials which you possessed was abused and your being in possession of them and taking access to them provides the market for the abuse.”
Sharp’s defence lawyer Nick Healy said his client still had family support who hoped he would get treatment.
Judge Barrett sentenced Sharp to three years in prison, but ordered he be released on a recognisance order after serving 18 months.
Brock Anthony Woods
A homeless man left a good Samaritan, who believed he was confronting a child abductor, with life changing injuries following a “vicious and nasty” bashing at the Mount Gambier Railway Lands.
Brock Anthony Woods, 45, was initially charged with causing serious harm with intent but was found guilty by jury of the lesser charge of recklessly causing serious harm in July.
Kim Ruge and his wife were leaving the Red Hot Summer Tour at Old Mount Gambier Gaol when he lept to the defence of a teenage girl who claimed a man had attempted to abduct her.
Mr Ruge approached the man he believed responsible, Woods, who was living in his car at the time, exited the vehicle and punched him unconscious.
Woods then kicked and stomped on the victim as he lay on the ground.
During sentencing in the Adelaide District Court, Judge Geraldine Davison said while there was no evidence Woods had attempted to abduct the girl, there was no excuse for his behaviour.
“There was every opportunity for you to have got out of the car, walked away, or even waited to see what he wanted,” Judge Davison said.
“When he fell to the ground, clearly unconscious … you then put the boots into him.”
Reading from Mr Ruge’s victim impact statement Judge Davison detailed the injuries he sustained.
“I sustained four fractures to my face, including fractures to my eye socket in more than one place, requiring immediate plastic surgery to repair as well as a broken nose two black eyes, (and) damaged and missing teeth,” Judge Davison said read.
Woods was sentenced to five and half years’ jail, with a non-parole period of four years, four months and 25 days.
Since his January, 2021 arrest, Woods had served time on other matters, with Judge Davison backdating the new period of imprisonment to August 9, 2020.
He will be eligible for parole in January, 2025.
Zac James Thorp-Millard
A drive-by shooter sent a planned “sinister message” when he targeted a home in a quiet Mount Gambier cul-de-sac where children were sleeping to instil maximum fear during an escalating feud.
Zac James Thorp-Millard, 27, was found guilty at trial of one count of discharging a firearm to injure, annoy or frighten in March, 2021.
During sentencing Judge Ian Press said there had been an escalating feud between Thorp-Millard and his victims Zachary Sailor and Namirra Latham.
On February 23 at 5.30am Mr Sailor and Ms Latham woke to the sounds of gunshots.
“You stopped your car in close proximity to the car of the victim and discharged the firearm two or three times into the back of it,” Judge Press said.
“The victim was immediately concerned for the safety of her children … she was not to know that the bullets had been fired into the back of the car.
“At that time of the day, you obviously knew people would be home in bed … you knew the use of a firearm would be likely to send a particularly sinister message to the occupants of that house and would maximise their fear.”
Ms Latham who is no longer Mr Sailor’s partner said in her victim impact statement fear had driven her out of Mount Gambier.
Judge Press said Thorp-Millard showed no remorse for his premeditated actions and continued to deny them.
Thorp-Millard was sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment with a non-parole period of four months.
Andrew David Ellery
A Kongorong father of seven who used a cattle prod to abuse some of his young children admitted he went “over the top” when disciplining his children.
Andrew David Ellery, 37, who had worked on dairy farms for more than 20 years pleaded guilty to 12 counts of aggravated assault against five of his children in a month-long period in 2019.
During sentencing in the Mount Gambier District Court Judge Gordon Barrett said Ellery threatened five of his children with a cattle prod, using it to electrocute three children who were aged four, six and seven at the time.
Ellery who suffers from borderline personality disorder, came from an abusive home and was abused as a child by a family friend — he was entitled to a 40 per cent discount for his early guilty plea.
“You agree that you had gone over the top … this is serious offending … were it not for your guilty plea I would have imprisoned you for 10 months,” Judge Barrett said.
Judge Barrett sentenced the father to six months jail, backdated to May 14, 2021 for time served.
The children no longer live with him.
Kellie Ann Telford
A former aged-care facility manager used her position to steal more than $18k from a “mentally challenged” resident.
Kellie Ann Telford, 49, worked a Lambert Lodge in Mount Gambier for seven years when she gained access the bank card and PIN of a person in her care.
Police prosecutors argued for a term of imprisonment labelling Telford’s actions as “serious offending” involving “a victim who’s put her trust in the defendant”.
“(Telford) has abused this trust, not just on one occasion, but 58 times,” a police prosecutor said.
After pleading guilty at an early opportunity in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court the Mil-Lel woman was spared jail, but was ordered to pay compensation to the victim for the total funds stolen.
During sentencing, Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos described Telford’s “abuse” as “a very callous act”.
“We have had abuse in aged care homes and there have been even royal commissions about that abuse,” Magistrate Kossiavelos said.
An affidavit explained the victim was “mentally challenged” and was unable to provide a victim impact statement as they remained unaware of the theft.
Telford’s defence lawyer, Jarrad Sim, told the court his client was a heavy smoker who spent most of the $18,567 on cigarettes “smoking 40 to 50 a day”.
Mr Sim also said the defendant was suffering from a number of serious health conditions, including depression, low heart function and had a brain tumour removed.
Magistrate Kossiavelos said wholly suspending the sentence would not send a strong enough message but gave credit for Telford’s early plea, handing down a head sentence of one year, three months, discounted to nine months to be served under home detention.
Bailey Sutcliffe
A man who was caught with three different types of drugs outside an all ages music event at a football club was trying to cover the costs of his own “prolific MDMA” use.
Bailey Jade Sutcliffe, 20, thanked the judged after he was handed a suspended jail term.
The Adelaide District Court heard Sutcliffe was searched by police before entering the East Gambier football club, and was found with “cannabis, LSD, $5750 and seven small bags each containing two tablets of MDMA,” on December 21, 2019.
Sutcliffe, who lives in Port Fairy in Victoria, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking at a licensed premises.
“The messages on your phone were consistent with you having previously sold both cannabis and MDMA,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.
The court heard Sutcliffe was a “prolific” MDMA drug user which “created tensions for you at home”.
“At the time of your offending you were homeless and living in your car,” Judge Press said.
Sutcliffe was sentenced to three years jail, with a non-parole period of one year and 10 months which was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond of $100.
Sutcliffe was also ordered to complete 40-hours community service within eight months.
Minh Quach
A man who’s failed attempt to send his brother drugs in the Mount Gambier prison was warned by a magistrate to stay on track.
Minh Hoa Quach of Medindie, 24, narrowly avoided further jail time after he pleaded guilty to delivering a prohibited item to a prisoner.
Quach was discovered by an intelligence officer at the Mount Gambier Prison when he tried to send drugs to his brother who was an inmate.
“Upon opening the envelope she located under the bottom flap seven full strips of what she believed to be Suboxone,” the police prosecutor said.
Quach’s defence lawyer Andrew Ey told the Adelaide Magistrates Court Suboxone was commonly used for opioid addiction and people coming off heroin.
Quach had only been released from jail a month earlier before making this “poor decision”.
Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos said she found good reasons to suspend any further jail time.
“You did in fact serve a term of imprisonment as a result of this huge mistake being made,” she said.
Ms Kossiavelos sentenced Quach to two months and 24 days jail which suspended sentence to a 18-month good behaviour bond of $500.
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