Daniel Melville, Benjamin Shegog jailed for Boronia Heights assault

Two hardened Ipswich criminals violently assaulted three residents of a Logan address, striking two of them in the head and neck with a machete, a court has heard.

Two Ipswich criminals with “appalling” criminal histories armed themselves with pipes, axes and machetes to invade a home containing three terrified residents known to them, two of whom were struck in the head and neck.

Raceview duo Benjamin Shegog, 39, and Daniel Melville, 37, pleaded guilty to five violent charges in Brisbane District Court on Tuesday.

Each was charged with aggravated burglary, armed robbery, unlawful wounding and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm following the terrifying home invasion at Boronia Heights about 11pm on December 8, 2019.

The court heard the three victims had ordered pizza about half an hour prior to the savage assault.

When they received a knock at the door a short while later, Shegog and Melville, both covering their faces with masks, barged into the home when one of the victims opened the door to see if it was their pizza.

Shegog, the court heard, was armed with a small axe and metal pipe, while Melville wielded a machete and metal bar.

Raceview man Benjamin Shegog, 39. Picture: Facebook

Melville, the principal offender, began “berating” the victim who answered the door, before demanding property from him.

The victim who answered the door was then struck in the back of the head by Melville with the machete, causing a deep wound.

Melville also struck another male victim in the neck with the machete, but luckily only the flat side of the blade connected, while a third victim, the mother of one of the other residents, was hit in the head with the metal bar.

The mother retaliated against Shegog by striking him several times with a vacuum cleaner, the court heard, but he did not strike back.

The duo decamped with $50 snatched from a table, and a set of car keys.

Raceview man Daniel Melville, 37. Picture: Facebook

The victims were able to identify the pair despite their face coverings, the court heard.

Melville was arrested and remanded in pre-sentence custody on December 18, 2019, while Shegog was arrested and remanded a couple of days earlier, on December 12.

Both offenders, the court heard, were hardened criminals who had come before the courts no fewer than 26 times each, for a total of more than 60 offences.

Shegog had the more serious history, with four prior convictions in the Beenleigh District Court for robberies.

In fact, since October 2012, Shegog had spent only about two months out of jail, the court heard.

Both men were on parole at the time of the commission of the current offences.

Crown prosecutor Alex Vanenn described both their criminal histories as “appalling”.

Melville, defence counsel Justin Thomas told the court, had an offer of work upon his release and wanted to reconnect with his children, who played an “important role” in his life.

He noted his client could stay out of trouble as long as he did not relapse into drug addiction.

Shegog’s defence counsel Debra Wardle told the court her client’s offending was lesser than Melville, as Shegog did not strike any of the residents.

Shegog was sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment, with parole eligibility set at March 14, 2022.

Melville was sentenced to four years and three months’ imprisonment, suspended for a period of five years after the 314 days he had already served.