Trio's wild drug-fuelled weekend crime spree

DRUGS, cars, money and violence: Primary school friends unite for Rockhampton crime spree.

Duane Everett Warcon, now 26, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter premise and commit indictable offence and attempted robbery. Picture: Chris Ison ROK241111cwarcon1

THREE men have been sentenced to 2.5 years jail each after going on a drug-fuelled offending spree one weekend last year.

The trio, who have known each other since primary school, were sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on Wednesday.

Joel John Eliott, 25, and Duane Everett Warcon, 26, were co-accused involved in two incidents that took place on May 28.

They were passengers inside a stolen vehicle that was eventually found destroyed by fire and they stole nine firearms from a gun safe along with other items from a locked shed at a Stanwell property.

Simeon Levi Brieffies, 25,pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on October 25 to attempted robbery and burglary. Picture: Facebook

The next night, they joined Simeon Levi Brieffies, 25, in attending a Wandal house where Brieffies threatened, and then used violence, against a man they knew in an attempt to get drugs and money out of him.

Eliott and Warcon pleaded guilty to attempted burglary; unlawful use of a motor vehicle; enter premise and commit indictable offence; and attempted robbery.

Brieffies pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and burglary.

The court heard they had extensive criminal histories including violence, drugs, weapons, dishonesty and break and enters.

Crown Prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence said the owner of a 2015 blue Mitsubishi Triton worth $40,000 left the vehicle locked at a Rockhampton location on May 27, hiding the keys over a tyre.

She said when the owner went back at 11am, the Triton was gone and no one at the location knew of its whereabouts.

Ms Lawrence said on May 28, a Gracemere resident reported seeing Eliott and Warcon in the Triton which was later found destroyed by fire. The court heard there was no evidence either stole the vehicle or had a role in the arson act, with the suggestion an unknown third party was involved.

Joel John Eliott, 25, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on October 25 to attempted burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter premise and commit indictable offence and attempted robbery. File photo. Picture: Allan Reinikka

Ms Lawrence said Eliott and Warcon were later that day involved in a break and enter offence at a Westwood property where they jimmied open a window of the house and stole nine firearms and ammunition from a locked gun safe after locating the key in an office drawer.

They then broke into a locked shed and stole a 40-litre fridge, three power tools, a set of keys and a hand-held UHF radio.

Warcon handed himself into police after being advised of outstanding warrants and he made admissions about the weekend's offences. A fingerprint matched his co-accused.

Ms Lawrence said with Warcon's help, eight of the firearms were recovered.

A Category A shotgun is still outstanding.

The next day, they joined Brieffies in attending a Wandal residence looking for an acquaintance.

The court heard a different person was at the residence when they arrived and he was woken by the voices in the backyard.

The man inside yelled out to them that the person who lived at the house was away.

Brieffies and Eliott then knocked on the door and asked the man, who then recognised them as acquaintances, to let them in to wait for their friend.

After the pair were let in and Warcon joined them, Brieffies approached the acquaintance and demanded he empty his pockets.

After pulling out keys, a morphine tablet and other general items, Brieffies accused the acquaintance of keeping illicit drugs from them and then punched the man six to eight times in the head.

Ms Lawrence said the punches caused immediate pain to the jaw and mouth. He received bruising to his eye and cuts to his lips.

"He fell on the ground and told Brieffies he had nothing," she said.

Warcon took the man's keys and searched his vehicle parked outside while Brieffies and Eliott searched the house twice. The second searching took 30 minutes and was only stopped when police arrived.

On hearing the police, Warcon took off in the man's car. Two days later it was found undamaged in Gracemere.

Ms Lawrence said Warcon, in his admissions, said the trio hadn't planned the robbery and when police attended, taking the car was "the fastest way out of there".

All three were given a parole release date of October 25, 2017.

Originally published as Trio's wild drug-fuelled weekend crime spree