Daniel John Leon Willats jailed for kidnapping, bodily harm and threatening violence

After a bag containing $30,000 worth of drugs went missing, a promising QUT engineering student took part in a bizarre, bloody kidnapping. Now, more details of the crime can be revealed.

*Distressing content

A “young man with incredible promise”, who turned accomplice in a bizarre kidnapping over $30,000 in missing drugs, has been jailed.

Daniel John Leon Willats, 24, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening violence, assaults occasioning bodily harm, kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom and burglary in the night-time with violence in company.

His co-offender, Charles Alfred Pawney, was sentenced to six years jail in Hervey Bay District Court in March 2021.

Crown prosecutor Elise Sargent told Hervey Bay District Court on Thursday, Pawney had been evicted from a Urangan home, where he lived with two other men, in July, 2019.

Daniel John Leon Willats, 24, was sentenced to four years jail in Hervey Bay District Court on Thursday, September 8.

As part of the eviction, Pawney’s belongings were left outside the house.

These belongings included $30,000 worth of drugs.

The next day, on July 14, 2019, a group of men descended on the address, where two others were at home at the time, the court heard.

Ms Sargent said three men then entered the house through a sliding door, with Willats at the front of the pack, followed by Pawney.

The court heard a third alleged co-offender was holding a metal wrench.

Ms Sargent said Willats then attacked one of the men inside the house, and Pawney joined in.

Willats and Pawney “threw multiple punches and kicks” to one of the men, Ms Sargent said.

The court heard a TV was also smashed into the back of one of the victim’s heads.

Ms Sargent said the brawl continued with the men in the house, which left one of the victims “exhausted” and unable to fight back.

Injuries sustained by one of the victims in the attack.

The victims were then thrown in a car and driven up a dirt road to Booral, the court heard.

Ms Sargent said while Willats was going through one of the victim’s phones, Pawney said “if you don’t come up with the money or my weed you are going to die”.

When the car stopped at Booral, the group questioned the victims about the money and missing drugs.

Ms Sargent said, at one point, Pawney told one of the victims that his fingers were going to be cut off and sent to his mother.

The court heard the victims were driven further down the dirt road until a dead end, where they were then beaten again.

Ms Sargent said the two victims were eventually able to escape – one fleeing to a neighbouring property, while the other flagged down a passing police car.

The court heard Willats was arrested on July 15, 2019 and was then released on bail.

Ms Sargent said one of the victims suffered black eyes and a large cut to the top of his head that required “eight to nine staples”.

Daniel John Leon Willats faced in Hervey Bay District Court on September 8, 2022.

Defence barrister Ed Whitton told the court his client had studied business and engineering at the Queensland University of Technology.

Mr Whitton said the offending happened while Willats was in his first year at university.

“The references from those who know him well attest to the fact that this was completely out of character from the person that they know,” Mr Whitton said.

He told the court Willats was a “quiet kid who did well at school”, with his academic records showing a “young man with incredible promise”.

The court heard Willats had completed one semester of university.

Willats also had a 14-month old daughter and was a stepfather to his current partner's children, the court heard.

Judge Tony Moynihan QC told Willats that he had inflicted “actual violence” on one of the victims, and highlighted his involvement in the group, but noted he was not armed at any time.

Willats was given a head sentence of four years jail, suspended after serving 12 months, for an operational period of four years.

Convictions were recorded.

The seven days that Willats had spent in pre-sentence custody was also declared as time served.