Brenton Lee Kelly: Ipswich construction boss avoids jail over home invasion

A construction company boss has avoided jail after promising to pay $10,000 compensation to a man he bashed and threatened to set on fire. Find out the wild reason why.

Brenton Lee Kelly, 37, outside the Ipswich courthouse on November 14. Picture: Liam Beatty.

A construction company boss has avoided jail after promising to pay $10,000 compensation to a man he bashed and threatened to set on fire.

Brenton Lee Kelly, 37, faced the Ipswich District Court on Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty to armed robbery, assault occasioning bodily harm and entering a dwelling with intent while in company.

The court heard Kelly and three co-offenders – one armed with a 40cm sword – attended the home of a 53-year-old man on December 2, 2019, demanding he hand over some “gear”.

Prosecutor Rachel Stewart said the group rushed into the man’s garage, beating him to the ground before Kelly demanded drugs and money “owed” to him.

“The complainant raised his arms to try to shield his head and the defendant yelled ‘where’s my money? Where are my drugs?’,” she said.

Brenton Lee Kelly, 37, outside the Ipswich courthouse. Picture: Liam Beatty

Kelly accused the man of supplying his brother drugs which had “put him in the hospital”.

The group forced the victim to open a safe at the house after Kelly held a gas bottle over him and threatened to burn him and “bash” his family.

The construction and transport company boss was arrested two days later alongside co-offender Jade Teresa Stelling, 33. The other two individuals were not identified.

The court heard the victim suffered serious injuries during the “home invasion” and was hospitalised for four days with head injuries and fractured ribs.

Defence barrister Anthony Kimmins told the court Kelly “lamented” his involvement in the attack and had set aside $10,000 as compensation for the man.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren, SC, said Kelly had spent about two-and-a-half years on bail after the offending and had made significant efforts to rehabilitate himself.

“You’ve shown good character while on bail,” he said.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that a return to prison would inevitably pull the rug out from under that progress.”

Kelly was sentenced to a three-and-a-half year jail term, suspended for three years.

He was also placed on probation for three years and ordered to undergo counselling and mental health treatment.

His co-offender, Stelling, was sentenced earlier this year to three-and-a-half years’ jail, suspended for four years, for the same incident and additional unrelated offending.