Upper Spencer Gulf criminals who appeared in court in the last month
From a jailhouse bashing to terrifying home invasions, these are the Upper Spencer Gulf offenders who have recently fronted court for their crimes.
Upper Spencer Gulf
Don't miss out on the headlines from Upper Spencer Gulf. Followed categories will be added to My News.
From vicious assaults during home invasions to jailhouse attacks, these are the Upper Spencer Gulf offenders who have appeared in court in the last month.
Timothy Lydeamore
A man who bashed his friend’s neighbour and struck his victim’s dog with a hammer has been given a chance by the court to show he’s turned his life around.
Timothy Scott Lydeamore, 36, committed his bizarre home invasion under the false belief that his dog was in danger.
The Adelaide District Court in April heard Lydeamore was visiting a friend in Port Pirie on June 27, 2020.
The victim – who lived across the road from Lydeamore’s friend – awoke to hear yelling in the street.
Lydeamore entered the victim’s yard with his dog.
“Whilst the victim attempted to keep you out, you smashed panels on the door and managed to force entry into the house,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.
Once inside, Lydeamore pushed the victim, jumped on him and punched him.
“As this was occurring your dog and the victim’s dog were fighting. You then picked up a hammer and struck the victim’s dog,” Judge Press said.
“When the victim told you to stop you threatened to hit him with the hammer.”
The Port Pirie father pleaded guilty to trespassing and assault.
Judge Press sentenced Lydeamore to one year and five months jail, with a non-parole period of 11 months.
The sentence was suspended on a three-year good behaviour bond, with supervision for two years.
Raquel O’Loughlin
A young mum held her head in her hands over the very real possibility of jail time, being told by a magistrate a lack of money did not make it okay to steal.
Raquel O’Loughlin, 24, pleaded guilty to multiple theft charges in April that occurred at a number of locations across the state.
The court heard O’Loughlin was found stealing groceries from On The Run in Port Augusta on April 20, 2020, citing her children’s hunger as the motive.
From there, O’Loughlin continued her tirade for free products in 2021.
The court heard the young mother attended a Spotlight on February 3 2021, filling up a trolley worth a total of $532, before her co-accused drove off without paying.
The trolley included bedding, cushions and a clock.
On April 13, O’Loughlin stole a $149 floor rug from Bunnings in Noarlunga Centre.
As staff confronted her, the court heard O’Loughlin screamed: “You can’t touch me”.
On June 30, O’Loughlin attended Aldi at Clovelly Park with her partner where they “loaded up” a number of trolleys with groceries, while another co-accused made sure the door was open as they left the premises without paying.
O’Loughlin was sentenced to three months jail, suspended on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
She was also fined $100.
Stuart Campman
A man who punched his prison cellmate over stolen butter started using methamphetamine after his relationship went downhill.
Stuart William Campman, 35, was jailed for his “cowardly” attack, which left his victim requiring surgery.
The Adelaide District Court in April heard Campman and the victim were cellmates in Port Augusta Prison.
“After initially getting on together, the defendant became increasingly aggressive, regularly asking the victim to fight him,” Judge Paul Cuthbertson said during sentencing.
The victim began fearing for his safety and requested a change of cells on March 10 2020.
“While the victim was in his new cell the defendant entered and closed the door behind him,” Judge Cuthbertson said.
“He began arguing with the victim, claiming that the victim had taken his butter.”
Campman then punched the victim about 10 times, causing a right orbital face blowout fracture and a four centimetre laceration across the victim’s forehead.
The victim was hospitalised and required surgery on the eye socket fracture and stitches.
The Risdon Park father pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent.
Judge Cuthbertson sentenced Campman to one year and three months jail, with a non-parole period of 10 months.
“The present offence was a cowardly one, made worse by the fact that the victim was trapped and under detention and unable to keep away from the defendant,” he said.
The sentence was backdated to October 4.
Dylan Pedler
A father is hoping he won’t miss the birth of his second child after feeling a “rush of blood” during his spontaneous assault and home invasion.
Dylan Pedler’s lawyer pushed for a suspended sentence in the Adelaide District Court, after the defendant’s final bid to not lose his life partner did not go as planned.
In April, the court heard Pedler, 29, attended a Whyalla Playford property on April 5, 2020.
A man opened the door.
The court heard Pedler stepped inside the front door and pushed the victim several times before punching him to the left cheek.
Pedler then followed it up with two more jabs to the victim’s face.
“There were no injuries and the trespass and the assault was relatively short,” a prosecutor said.
Pedler, of Whyalla Norrie, pleaded guilty to assault and serious criminal trespass.
Matthew Christey, for Pedler, told the court he had no intention to break in and assault anyone when he went to the house.
“The decision by Mr Pedler to conduct himself in this manner was a spontaneous, obviously very stupid … decision out of fear that Mr Pedler was going to lose his life partner,” he said.
Judge Slattery will sentence Pedler next month.
Matthew Chudleigh
An armed arborist has no memory of breaking a man’s nose with the axe handle he was wielding.
Matthew Luke Chudleigh, 28, broke down the door of a stranger’s home and severely injured him during his vicious attack.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court in April heard Chudleigh was released on home detention bail on November 22, 2020 for multiple assault charges.
He chased a person down a Park Holme street the same day he was bailed and the person sought shelter at the victim’s house.
The next day Mr Chudleigh returned and attended the property where the person he chased had sought shelter.
He demanded to know where the victim was hiding the other man.
“You started bashing at the door, suddenly you broke through the door,” Magistrate Simon Smart said during sentencing.
The victim ran through the house and armed himself with an ornamental axe.
“You struck the complainant several times to his face and his body, you took up the axe handle and struck him with it,” Mr Smart said.
The victim suffered bruising and swelling to both eyes, lacerations and a broken nose.
The Whyalla father pleaded guilty to trespassing and assault causing harm.
Mr Smart sentenced Chudleigh to six months jail.
The sentence was suspended on a 12-month, $500 good behaviour bond, after Chudleigh served three months.
It was backdated to March 26.
Brodie Hutchison
A man has dodged jail for tackling his father to the ground and choking him, after hearing his land had been sold.
Brodie Hutchison, 37, tested positive for drugs after the brutal attack on his father, where he threatened to kill him.
The Adelaide District Court in April heard Hutchison, who had been living with his father, was having a dispute with him about a shed and land in Port Pirie he was struggling to make repayments on.
“Your father eventually took over the mortgage repayments,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.
Hutchison became very angry when his father told him on March 2 2021 he had sold the land.
“You assaulted your father by tackling him to the ground and choking him with both hands for about 30 to 40 seconds,” Judge Press said.
“As he was gasping, you released your grip voluntarily and stood up.”
Hutchison’s father then went to bed and awoke to find him standing over him with a kitchen knife.
“You threatened to kill him if the property was sold,” Judge Press said.
Hutchison’s father’s neck was sore after the incident and he suffered bruising to his nose, neck and hip.
Hutchison, of Stirling North, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.
Judge Press sentenced him to four months jail, suspended on a $100, 12-month good behaviour bond, with supervision.
Whyalla’s desperate call for lifeline as GFG’s debt hurts businesses
The refusal of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG to meet its debts to dozens of contractors in Whyalla is hurting the economic fabric of the city.
Read more
Staying alive: $9m spent on office staff to keep hydrogen project afloat
Taxpayers are spending around $23m to keep the state’s hydrogen office in business, while the number of staff in the office has grown at a cost of $9m.
Read more