‘Significant stress’: Family shocked by armed intruder leaning over sleeping child

A drug-addled intruder who partied at an 18th birthday has told a court he has no recollection of breaking into a house and helping himself to bread before being found leaning over a young girl asleep on a couch.

Charles Edward Cochrane is on probation after breaking into a house.

A MASKED man armed with a golf club found leaning over a woman’s child during a break-in at a Redland Bay home has vowed to apologise to his victims.

Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates Court via phone on Tuesday Charles Edward Cochrane, 19, pleaded guilty to entering a dwelling and committing an indictable offence and possession of dangerous drugs.

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The court heard Cochrane was on parole for an October 2019 trespass offence when he broke into the Marine St address at around 5am on March 21.

With his face covered with a T-shirt and brandishing a golf club Cochrane rummaged through the occupied home looking for food.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Duncan Blackburn said the defendant had searched through multiple rooms, moved a handbag and helped himself to some bread.

Cochrane was leaning over a girl sleeping in a living room when he was spotted by the child’s mother.

At first mistaken for her son the woman panicked and raised the alarm when she realised it was an intruder.

Sen Constable Blackburn said Cochrane told the resident he was sent there by his mates to find $20 before calmly walking out.

The woman’s husband and son – who recognised Cochrane as a previous sports teammate – followed him and called the police.

The police prosecutor said despite having only one previous entry on his criminal history it was a serious escalation in offending.

“This offence is quite serious and did cause significant stress and anxiety to the victims,” Sen Constable Blackburn said.

“The penalty must make clear that the community denounces this type of behaviour and send out a strong general and personal deterrent.

“People should feel safe in their own homes.”

Defence solicitor Bruce Johnston said he had known the defendant for years having coached both him and the victim’s son in sport and assured there were no signs Cochrane had threatened violence.

Multiple character references were provided for Cochrane who had worked in hospitality before coronavirus struck.

Cochrane, who recently moved to Birkdale, claimed to have no recollection of the incident and was profusely apologetic.

“It sickens me that I did that … No-one in their right mind would do something like that,” he said.

The defendant had been at a friend’s 18th birthday where he “had drunk more than usual” and thought he may have taken Xanax and cannabis leading to his claimed blackout.

The court also heard that Cochrane had been doing “rather well” on his parole before the latest offending.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said she remembered Cochrane from the hundreds of defendants she sees as a charming young man who was good at “saying the right thing” and lamented the effects drugs have on young people trying to escape from reality.

She said a letter of apology to his victims would go some way to put the distressing incident in context and allow the family and especially the child victim to move on.

Magistrate Vasta said residents who fall prey to break-ins of this nature could easily develop PTSD with the harmful effects persisting for months or even years.

Cochrane agreed to write to his victims and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and 40 hours of community service.

No conviction was recorded.