Lily Jade De Las Heras, 22, pleads guilty to attempted armed robbery causing wounding

She was a private school swimming prodigy, racing against the likes of Kaylee McKeown, but a drug-fuelled fall from grace found her wearing a balaclava armed with a spanner.

Lily Jade De Las Heras, 22, leaving Beenleigh Magistrates Court

A young, privately educated swimming prodigy has fronted court after her horrific downfall into a drugs, theft, attempted carjacking and wounding.

Lily Jade De Las Heras, 22, pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted robbery while armed causing wounding and one charge of possessing dangerous drugs at Beenleigh District Court on May 1 2024.

The court watched CCTV of De Las Heras running towards an unsuspecting 61-year-old man outside his Boronia Heights home with a spanner.

Footage showed her smacking the man repeatedly with a spanner which caused him significant bruising, before she attempted to steal his car.

The court heard De Las Heras completed Year 12 at Assisi Catholic College in Upper Coomera and was a promising swimmer.

She was expected to compete at a national level, and was racing against the likes of triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown, before a hamstring injury prompted the brutal sudden end of her swimming career.

Judge Heaton KC said it was around the time of De Las Heras’ injury that she began using methamphetamines.

“You approached the victim wearing a balaclava and yelled at him to give you his car keys, you caused immediate pain and broke his skin when you struck him four times to the forearm,” Judge Heaton said.

“It seemed you were heading for his head with your swing.

“He managed to maintain control of you and your colleague drove off and left you,” he said.

The prosecutor told the court De Las Heras had appeared before the court for 14 prior offences, with four recorded on her criminal history.

“She has a criminal history (with multiple court appearances at Beenleigh and Southport courts) of drug, hazardous medicine and poison possession as well as stealing money, driving under the influence and failing to provide a specimen to police on two occasions,” the Prosecutor said.

“She committed a common assault, while on bail, and served 100 days in custody before she was sentenced in February 2024,” she said.

The Prosecutor said after the victim managed to restrain De Las Heras and a neighbour came to his aid she removed her balaclava and waited for police to arrive.

“The victim stated in his impact statement that he no longer feels secure in his home, is unable to park on the street and has installed security cameras,” the Prosecutor said.

“This is a steep escalation in her offending compared to her history.

“There is a strong need for personal deterrence, the offending only stopped when a neighbour came to help,” she said.

The Prosecution submitted that De Las Heras would serve three years of imprisonment with parole eligibility after she had served 12 months.

Defence barrister Emily Lewsey said her client had been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, anxiety and PTSD.

“She has been diagnosed with mental health issues and has a medical plan,” Ms Lewsey said.

“During the time of the offending she was in a relationship with a partner who introduced her to drugs and that relationship was affected by a series of traumatic events.

“She was injected with drugs and abused, she has a significant drug addiction.

“She instructs she has not used drugs since her release from pre sentence custody in February 2024,” she said.

The court was told De Las Heras had been working in childcare after completing a Certificate 3 TAFE course before drugs “ruined her life”.

Ms Lewsey said she submits that her client be sentenced to serve two to two years and six months of imprisonment with parole eligibility of May 1 2024.

Judge Heaton said the circumstance of the offending was “serious”.

“The victim was simply tending to his car and for reasons that are a mystery you got out of the vehicle armed with a spanner,” Judge Heaton said.

“You cause large traumatic skin tears (to the victim).

“You showed promise as a young adult when you trained for several years as a competitive swimmer and your success was the product of discipline.

“Your still young age and other positive qualities reflected will see you earlier into the community but only with the supervision of parole,” he said.

De Las Heras was sentenced to serve three years of imprisonment with parole eligibility of the same day.

Convictions were recorded.