Man faces court after rocking up at a random house with two meat cleavers and a ski mask
A child faced a harrowing moment when she opened her front door to find two strangers – one armed with meat cleavers and the other a knife, a court has heard.
North & North East
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A young child faced a harrowing moment when she opened her front door to find two men – one armed with meat cleavers and a ski mask and the other carrying a mask.
Things could have gone “horribly wrong” when drunk wannabe rapper Anthony Brian Johnston, 24, and his mate landed at the girl’s house in Para Hills West in May last year, a court has heard.
Johnston pleaded guilty on Wednesday in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to carrying an offensive weapon and carrying an article of disguise.
Johnston, from Para Hills West, also pleaded guilty to affray, an act of using, or threatening to use, unlawful violence towards another person and possessing the prescription drug Xanax.
The affray charge related to a fight he had with the man who was with him at the time of crime. It is not known what happened to the other man or what the fight was about.
Months later, Johnston was caught “interfering” with someone else’s car and breaching his curfew – charges he also pleaded guilty to.
His defence lawyer said when the defendant showed up to the random house in May he was “extremely intoxicated” and was using prescription medication.
“In recent times he has ceased all use of prescription drugs (and) he does only occasionally drink in moderation and socially,” she told the court.
Just days before the meat cleaver confrontation, Johnston posted lyrics to a rap song on his Facebook.
The lyrics said: “Murder opps, killin‘ sh**, I’d enjoy the thrill of it.”
Magistrate Justin Wickens told Johnston the crime would have been “scary” for the girl and her family.
“This obviously would have been quite a harrowing experience,” he said.
“They don’t know you, they don’t know the other man, they don’t know whether they’re in danger and it would have been quite a scary experience for that to have occurred.
“To your credit you did not produce (the meat cleavers) during the altercation with the other person, but the potential for things to go horribly wrong was clearly there.
“In those circumstances the offending is still quite serious.”
Mr Wickens took into account Johnston’s clean criminal record before convicting him and handing down a 12-month good behaviour bond.
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