David Werner jailed for attacking homeowner with hammer in home invasion

A man whose life has been “ruined by drugs” bashed a homeowner with a hammer in a violent home invasion.

A father who bashed a homeowner with a hammer in a “cowardly” attack has had his life “ruined by drugs”, a court has heard.

David Bradley Werner, 27, was on drugs when he committed the violent home invasion to collect a debt that had nothing to do with him.

The Adelaide District Court heard Werner and his co-accused broke into Ben Graham’s Risdon Park South home on February 13, 2021 at 2am.

Mr Graham’s partner, Tenille Devlin was in the dining room when she saw the men walk through the front door.

David Werner was jailed for his role in the home invasion. Photo: Facebook

“One of you told her to get on the ground and she lay on the ground face down,” Judge Joana Fuller said during sentencing.

Mr Graham, who heard Ms Devlin screaming, saw Werner’s co-offender come out of the house armed with a hammer.

A scuffle ensued between them.

“You then hit him over the head with the hammer three times while he was trying to restrain your co-offender,” Judge Fuller said.

The court heard Mr Graham managed to kick the hammer out of Werner’s hand.

Mr Graham was hospitalised and treated for a dislocated shoulder and multiple lacerations to his head, which required stitches.

The court heard when Werner was arrested he told police he committed the home invasion because he believed the man who lived there owed his co-offender money.

Werner, of Elizabeth East, pleaded guilty to serious criminal trespass and causing harm with intent to cause harm.

The court heard Werner was given a three-month suspended sentence in 2016 for a “nasty” assault after he punched a man multiple times.

“You believed he was saying things about you in the small town of Kingston, which you found insulting, including that you and your family were low lifes and that you were dealing methamphetamine,” Judge Fuller said.

The court heard Werner started smoking ice when he was 18 and began using it daily after the death of his father in 2020.

“Your drug use has adversely affected every aspect of your life; employment prospects, relationships, finances and your physical health,” Judge Fuller said.

“Your parents did everything to shape a bright and positive future for you and it is a tragedy for you and your family that drugs have, to this day, ruined your life.”

The court heard Werner, who had previously worked as an apprentice chef, said his son was his incentive to change his life.

Judge Fuller sentenced Werner to three years and nine months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and 11 months.

“The assault was vicious and cowardly, and the victim was fortunate not to have been injured more seriously or permanently,” she said.

The sentence was backdated to October 25, 2021.