Man on probation for serious Toowoomba assault tried to fraudulently buy firearms

A young Toowoomba man on probation for the serious and cowardly assault of a teenager was caught trying to buy deactivated firearms online with stolen credit card details.

In 2021 Dylan James Ryan was placed on three years probation, ordered to do 240 hours community service and pay $5000 compensation to a man he punched and seriously injured.

A young father who tried to use stolen credit card details to buy deactivated firearms online has been warned by a Toowoomba magistrate that he’s ‘teetering on edge’ of serving time behind bars.

After spending nine days in custody on a raft of miscellaneous charges, Dylan James Ryan was released on a two year probation order on Tuesday, March 11, at the Toowoomba Magistrates court.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to nine charges, which included three fraud offences and two breaches of his bail conditions.

The court heard that at the time of the offending, Ryan was subject to two court orders and he was performing well on parole, although he wasn’t engaging in programs to address his drug use.

Dylan James Ryan was on two probation orders at the time of the offending.

The young man was placed on a three years’ probation order in the Toowoomba District Court in March 2022, after he pleaded guilty to coward-punching a 17-year-old causing grievous bodily harm.

He also completed 240 hours of community service and paid the victim $5000 in compensation.

The district court heard the then 18-year-old was waiting for the teenager in a Bunnings carpark, and when he challenged him to a fight, the victim turned to his car to leave.

Ryan then threw an uppercut to the unsuspecting victim’s face, which caused fractures that required a titanium pin to be surgically implanted.

When Ryan pleaded guilty to his latest offences, the court heard his criminal social circle and drug use led to the offending.

Solicitor Brad Skuse said the days Ryan spent in the watch house were a sobering experience.

“He acknowledges that he really needs to start drawing a line in the sand and start moving forward with his life otherwise the last nine days he spent will become the norm for him,” he said.

Ryan has been released from custody after spending more than a week in the Toowoomba watch house.

Mr Skuse noted the victim, whose credit details were being used for online purchases, “thankfully” realised what was occurring and stopped the online purchases from occurring.

Mr Skuse said he was instructed that Ryan was drinking with a group of people, one of which had gotten the victim’s details from an online website.

“My client was to purchase the two deactivated firearms on the basis he would receive one and these other persons would receive the other,” he said.

“He made the arrangement for the purchase of those items and obviously attended and by that stage, your honour police were aware and he waited there and was spoken to by police.”

The court heard the man’s partner at the time, Lauren Elise Vonhoff-Roberts, was an alleged co-offender to other fraudulent transactions made with the victim’s card details.

Magistrate Kyna Morrice noted the fraud charges occurred in June 2024 one month after he was sentenced to probation for fraud offences.

“He’s ‘teetering on edge’ I think Mr Skuse,” she said.

“He successfully completed orders, (yet) committing further offences.

“I’m concerned that if he is released without any supervision that he might tip over the edge.”

Rather than imposing a suspended jail term, Ms Morrice said a two-year probation order would provide Ryan with more support and supervision.

“You’re still very young and your life is spiralling rapidly out of control despite the efforts of the courts to provide you with assistance,” she said.

“You have substance misuse issues, which you seemingly are not addressing.

“That seems to be the one thing in the probation order that you refuse to do.

“Perhaps that’s the answer to your rehabilitation, I don’t know Mr Ryan.

“Probation is there to assist you with that, and you should have the motivation that this is probably one of the last times you will be offered an opportunity of an order in the community.”

Originally published as Man on probation for serious Toowoomba assault tried to fraudulently buy firearms