Ipswich’s Matthew James Paton, Tyreece Patrick Paton jailed for Bun Me Bakery shooting robbery

An uncle and nephew duo have faced justice for their involvement in a violent Ipswich bakery robbery, in which a court heard a fearful shop attendant was shot in the back while attempting to flee.

Matthew James Paton and Tyreece Patrick Paton front Ipswich court for bakery shooting. Picture: Facebook & Ross Irby

A bakery owner had nothing but a baking tray to shield himself from bullets as he bravely fended off two men during a violent robbery in which his own wife was shot, a court has heard.

The pair had been working at the Eastern Heights-based Bun Me Bakery when two men allegedly stormed their shop, one allegedly armed with a sawn off shotgun.

Today, the horror of the September 2021 date culminated with the sentencing of two of the men responsible for the rampage - uncle and nephew duo Tyreece Patrick Paton, 22, and his uncle Matthew James Paton, 39.

Both men pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court today, September 7, to one count of armed robbery in company using personal violence.

Tyreece Paton pleaded guilty to additional charges of unlawfully possessing a category H weapon used to commit an indictable offence, and committing a malicious act with intent to maim.

Crown prosecutor Alex Baker said Matthew Paton had also been charged with the later two offences, but said the Crown would not proceed with those charges against him.

The court heard Matthew Paton had driven his nephew Tyreece and their co-accused Kyle John Stuart to the Bun Me Bakery in Eastern Heights on September 5, 2021.

Matthew Paton had waited in the car as Tyreece, allegedly accompanied by Mr Stuart, entered the bakery.

Ms Baker said Tyreece and Mr Stuart had disguised their faces with masks and Mr Stuart had worn gloves.

It is alleged Mr Stuart used a shortened 0.22 sawn off rifle to shoot a female bakery attendant in the back as she attempted to flee.

CCTV footage played before the court showed a masked armed man reloading the gun and cocking it again.

Judge Dennis Lynch noted a second live round was later located on the floor, but it was unclear whether there had been an actual attempt to discharge that round.

The footage showed a male bakery attendant emerge from the back of the shop with a tray, which he used as a shield as a gun was pointed towards him.

Tyreece then grabbed hold of the cash register, which the court heard contained approximately $1000.

The offenders then returned to the car, and Matthew Paton drove them away.

The court heard the female bakery attendant had not initially realised she had been struck.

However, she later attended hospital where 24 to 25 pellets were removed from her back.

Ms Baker said a police statement from the male bakery attended outlined how he was “continuing to suffer flashbacks”.

“He thought he was to die,” she said.

Ms Baker said there had been a similar significant impact on his wife – the female bakery attendant – as well as the couple’s business.

Bun Me Bakery, Eastern Heights. Picture: Google Maps

The court heard Matthew and Tyreece were both arrested in the days following the robbery and spent nearly two years in custody waiting for their sentence.

They, along with Mr Stuart, were initially charged with two counts of attempted murder.

That charge was later downgraded to the acts intended to maim charge for each of them – before it was dropped entirely for Matthew Paton.

Mr Stuart remains charged with the robbery, unlawful weapons possession, and acts intended to maim.

He is scheduled to be sentenced for those charges later this month.

Judge Lynch said Matthew and Tyreece were both to be sentenced as a party to Mr Stuart, the alleged primary offender.

Matthew had taken part in the plan, but was to be sentenced on the basis that he didn’t know about the gun.

“You must have appreciated that they had a weapon in order to carry out a robbery,” Judge Lynch said.

The court heard both Matthew and Tyreece had relevant criminal histories, which both contained dishonesty and robbery-type offences.

Tyreece had been on parole at the time of the bakery robbery for burglary and enter premises offending.

Both also experienced difficult upbringings and struggled with drug misuse.

Judge Lynch said he saw a “significant difference” in their circumstances, however, as Matthew Paton was older and had a more extensive criminal history.

He sentenced Matthew Paton to six years imprisonment, with immediate parole eligibility and 729 days of presentence custody declared time-served.

Judge Lynch said it would be up to the parole board’s discretion as to when Matthew Paton would actually be released.

Tyreece Paton was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with only 527 days of his presentence custody declared time-served.

He will be eligible for parole on March 28, 2024.