Listed: 10 Port Lincoln criminals who appeared in court so far in 2023
From a vengeful ex-girlfriend’s terrifying home invasion to a man taken hostage by his drug associate, these are the Port Lincoln criminals sentenced in 2023.
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From terrifying home invasions to vengeful arson attacks, these are the Port Lincoln offenders who have been sentenced so far in 2023.
Thomas Gray
A former supermarket manager “infatuated” with his victim fired a shot during a terrifying home invasion to scare him.
Thomas Matthew Gray, 30, was jailed for over four years after he bashed the victim and forced him to come to his house.
During sentencing, the District Court heard Gray became infatuated with the 22-year-old victim who was part of the same drug subculture in Port Lincoln.
The victim cut off contact with Gray after his conduct became controlling and threatening.
The court heard the victim saw Gray standing outside his house on his security cameras on October 5, 2021.
Gray managed to break in through a window, while the victim hid in a bathroom.
“You found the complainant in the bathroom, you told him he had to come with you,” Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett said.
Eventually the victim agreed to Gray’s threats but managed to grab a jimmy from his bedroom and hit Gray with it.
Gray then took out a homemade firearm, which he loaded.
“You fired the firearm to scare him, you then hit him multiple times to the head – you were wearing heavy rings on your fingers,” Auxiliary Judge Barrett said.
Under threats the victim went with Gray to his house, but police arrived shortly after – having been called by the victim’s mother.
Gray, of Port Lincoln, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including criminal trespass, discharging a firearm and assault causing harm.
Auxiliary Judge Barrett sentenced Gray to four years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months.
The sentence was backdated to October 5, 2021.
John Scafidi
A homeless father who set fire to the house he was evicted from falsely claimed his ex-girlfriend taunted him into doing it.
John Raymond Scafidi, 20, was jailed after he was heard saying “Burn b****, burn”, before causing $80,000 in damages.
During sentencing, the District Court heard Scafidi tried to follow his former partner to a friend’s house in October 2022 but the occupants refused to let him in.
The house was next door to the house Scafidi had recently been evicted from.
The court heard Scafidi went next door to his former house and started throwing things around, with one neighbour hearing him say “Where’s the jerry can?”
Scafidi set fire to a couch in the property, but the whole place caught fire.
“Another neighbour heard you say ‘Burn b****, burn’,” Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett said.
“Another neighbour remembers you saying ‘Sorry, if your house burns down’.”
The fire caused just short of $80,000 damage to the Housing Trust property.
The Port Lincoln father pleaded guilty to arson.
Auxiliary Judge Barrett sentenced Scafidi to three years and nine months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.
The sentence was backdated to October 25.
Tegan Martin and youth accomplice
An aspiring beautician’s animosity towards her ex landed her behind bars after she committed a vicious home invasion.
Tegan Lee Martin, 24, was drunk and high when she used a taser on her ex-boyfriend in the “pre-mediated” attack.
During sentencing, the District Court heard Martin had previously been in a relationship with the victim, Jacob Tiller, for approximately five years.
“Your relationship was characterised by dysfunction and immaturity on both sides,” Justice Julie McIntyre said.
The court heard the relationship ended three years prior to the offending but there was still some “ill will” between the pair.
Martin, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, rushed through Mr Tiller’s unlocked sliding door on October 6, 2021 in Port Lincoln.
Martin opened the bathroom door where Mr Tiller was and Martin used a taser on him, while her co-accused is alleged to have hit him on the elbow with a metal pole.
Mr Tiller pushed past the duo and attempted to run to the back door but fell to the ground.
“(Your co-accused) stabbed Mr Tiller with the knife to the side of the head. You continued to use the taser on Mr Tiller,” Justice McIntyre said.
Mr Tiller was taken to the Port Lincoln Hospital with an 8cm laceration to the side of his head.
The cut extended through the skin, muscle and onto the bone and required emergency surgery and 10 stitches.
Martin, of Port Lincoln, pleaded guilty to serious criminal trespass and causing harm with intent.
Justice McIntyre sentenced Martin to two years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Her co-accused received a suspended sentence in the Youth Court.
Allen Bonham, Kaziah Hanslow and Benjamin Lange
A trio who left a man with a broken nose in an unprovoked bashing were scolded by a judge for their “thuggish invasion” on a man in his home.
Allen Stewart Bonham, 54, Kaziah Jean Hanslow, 39, and Benjamin Wayne Lange, 42, all avoided jail for the callous attack over a missing electric scooter.
During sentencing, the District Court heard the 57-year-old victim was home alone when the trio and an unknown female came to his home at night on March 23, 2022.
When he opened the door the group pushed their way into the house.
“Bonham began yelling and demanding the bikes from the victim, and he asserted that they had been stolen by the victim’s daughter,” Judge Gordon Barrett said.
After the victim continued denying any knowledge of the missing bikes, Bonham began throwing punches at him which caused him to stagger backwards onto the couch.
When the victim attempted to stand up he was punched twice by Lange, causing him to fall down again.
The court heard the group then came across the locked bedroom of the victim’s daughter and after threats the victim unlocked the door.
In the room was a desk with a CCTV monitor on it, which Hanslow threw to the floor – completing the trio’s “disgraceful” course of conduct.
The victim suffered a broken nose from the attack, with the court hearing the crime changed his life and left him feeling depressed and anxious.
Lange, of Port Lincoln, and Hanslow and Bonham pleaded guilty to assault causing harm.
Judge Barrett sentenced Bonham to 17 months jail, with a non-parole period of 11 months.
Lange was sentenced to 12 months jail, with a non-parole period of six months, while Hanslow was sentenced to nine months jail.
Judge Barrett suspended all three sentences on a $1000, three year good behaviour bond, with supervision for two years.
Reece George
A Port Lincoln pedophile will spend almost half a decade behind bars after he filmed children in toilets, clothing stores, restaurants and the town jetty.
Reece George, 40, was found with child exploitation material in his Port Lincoln home in both 2019 and 2021 that related to bestiality, bondage of children and local children out in public.
During his sentencing, the District Court heard police were called to the Port Lincoln jetty after parents were concerned a man was filming children in their bathers in April 2019.
On April 17, police attended George’s home where they located a hard drive, a USB and a laptop.
On these devices, police located 1845 images and 55 videos.
The court heard George had filmed an adult and a child – who was aged between four and five – using the toilet inside the Kmart store in Port Lincoln.
Two years after their first attendance, police searched George’s home again in 2021, where they found him hiding in the laundry as well as a further eight USB sticks, seven of which were stuffed under the laundry trough.
Once again, police found further child exploitation material, including videos of children George “knew” and again children from the local area.
“The number and content of videos suggests a distinct focus and occupation with children’s bodies,” Judge Emily Telfer said.
“Police located a series of videos taken at a pizza restaurant where you recorded a child who was about four years of age, sitting on a stool.
“As she spun she spread her legs apart and you filmed her very closely.
“You appeared to have been undeterred by the fact that there were adults present in the child’s immediate vicinity.”
The court also heard George continued to film children in the Kmart store, immersing himself among children’s clothes as well as laying underneath shelves to film up children’s skirts.
George was also found trawling the internet and illicit websites in search of child exploitation material, which further breached those conditions.
Judge Telfer sentenced George to six years and six months jail, with a non parole period of four years.
The sentence was backdated to January 10, 2022.
Jason and Ralph Burgoyne
A former talented footballer was jailed after he sexually abused a “very vulnerable” child, who ended up dying by suicide months later.
Jason Byron Burgoyne’s vile assault was captured in a Snapchat video filmed by his cousin, which a jury was forced to watch.
During sentencing, the District Court heard the 15-year-old victim was with Jason’s cousin Ralph Burgoyne, 45, and another male on December 15, 2021.
The court heard Ralph injected the victim with methamphetamine and caused her to perform fellatio on him, which he filmed.
Later that day, the victim visited Jason’s Port Lincoln home and performed fellatio on him and Ralph, which he filmed again.
After a trial in the Port Augusta District Court in April, Jason, 40, was found guilty by a jury of unlawful sexual intercourse.
He was acquitted of another count, relating to sexual intercourse with the victim.
“As a consequence the court, including the jury, had to watch the film that Ralph Burgoyne had taken,” Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett said.
Ralph pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse and producing child exploitation material and was jailed for more than four years earlier this year.
The court heard the “very vulnerable” victim, who was under the Guardianship of the Minister, ended up dying by suicide months later.
Auxiliary Judge Barrett sentenced Jason to three years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and three months.
The sentence was backdated to November 2, 2022.
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