Aaron Loveridge, Dean Maxworthy plead guilty to roles in Caloundra home invasion

A woman has been seriously injured after she was forced to jump from her apartment when two men came to her Sunshine Coast unit, one armed with a rifle, to collect her flatmate’s drug debt.

Aaron Joel Loveridge of Wurtulla, 31, armed with a rifle, and Dean Anthony Vincent Maxworthy of Landsborough, 52, barged their way into her apartment over her roommate’s drug debt.

Two Sunshine Coast men have admitted to being involved in a frightening home invasion which led to a woman jumping from her balcony and fracturing her feet.

The victim, who launched herself from her third level unit at Caloundra, fell several metres when Aaron Joel Loveridge of Wurtulla, 31, armed with a rifle, and Dean Anthony Vincent Maxworthy of Landsborough, 52, barged their way into her apartment over her roommate’s drug debt.

Their separate roles were detailed in Maroochydore District Court on Thursday after Loveridge pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, burglary, possessing a shortened firearm and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Maxworthy pleaded guilty to a single charge of burglary.

Crown prosecutor Rhys Byrne said Loveridge had been driving a stolen car around several days before both men arrived at the Caloundra unit block about 9.15pm on August 5 last year.

A man and a woman lived on the third floor of the unit block, with the man roommate being the intended target.

The male roommate told the woman a month prior about his “large drug debt” he owed, and warned people may come to the home.

This materialised when a knock came at their door, with the man roommate partially opening it to speak to Maxworthy.

The court was told Maxworthy tried to force the door open when, out of the blue, Loveridge pushed a rifle through the gap of the door.

At the sight of this, the woman feared for her life and fled by jumping over her balcony. She landed four to five metres down onto concrete at ground level, where she badly injured her feet.

A neighbour assisted the woman and took her inside.

The man roommate jumped to the balcony below, and was joined by Maxworthy, however both men were locked outside.

Loveridge took the woman’s phone to his car but returned to the unit until police arrived.

The court heard Loveridge was holding the rifle during the burglary.

Maxworthy was locked on the balcony with the mate roommate after the home invasion.

Mr Byrne said the woman suffered fractures to both of her feet, which required surgery, and still had ongoing issues to this day.

The men spent 14 months in custody leading up to their sentence on Thursday, where they appeared in the court’s dock in prison clothes.

The court was told of the woman’s victim impact statement, which retold the ongoing effects of her injuries, the loss of independence she felt and the emotional scarring.

Mr Byrne said Loveridge’s weapon was operable, however not loaded, but said either way it would have been “terrifying” for the victim.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown, acting for Loveridge, said the 31-year-old tree lopper and father had battled with drugs for most of his life and been in and out of jail.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said the Wurtulla man accepted he was the principal offender however did not directly cause harm to the victim, and made admissions to police.

Barrister Scott Neaves, who represented Maxworthy, said the 52-year-old also struggled with drugs in his life.

The court was told the Landsborough man planned to go back to work as a plasterer. Mr Neaves said his client also wanted to receive treatment from a general practitioner when he leaves custody.

Judge Gary Long jailed Loveridge for five years, with a parole eligibility date set at February 5, 2025. His period in custody was declared as time served.

Maxworthy was imprisoned for three years, however with time served, he was granted immediate parole release.