Eleven southeast Queenslanders who committed crimes involving their neighbours | List
A cheekbone caved in, thousands stolen by a slighted “junkie”, a full-scale siege on a house by a meth-bingeing man. These are the neighbours who shocked their communities.
Southeast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Southeast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Few relationships sour as quickly and deeply as those involving neighbours.
The following people faced court over crimes including caving in a face, stealing thousands, pulling clumps of hair from a skull or even instigating a meth-fuelled siege on their neighbours.
They are the neighbourhood stories from our nightmares and their after-effects were played out for all to hear at local courts.
THESE NEIGHBOURS HAD CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS RECORDED:
DARYL WADDINGTON
Confused neighbour requires facial surgery after brutal bashing.
This week a court heard there will be no period of actual imprisonment for the Logan couple who beat a man senseless on Main St at Beenleigh, shattering his cheekbone and causing sunken eye trauma.
One of the offenders, 34-year-old father-of-two Daryl John Waddington, appeared at the Beenleigh District Court on June 7 where he pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm.
The court heard the offence occurred on December 8, 2015, when Waddington was 28 years old and his then girlfriend and co-offender Claudia-Rose Harrison, was 18 years old and 15 weeks pregnant.
According to crown prosecutor Zackery Kaplan, the couple knew the victim, Michael Angelo Surdo, from their comings and goings in the neighbourhood.
Harrison approached Mr Surdo as he pulled into his driveway at around 3.30pm and accused him of calling the police whenever he heard the couple having a loud argument.
After the victim pushed Waddington in an attempt to get away the couple began to viciously attack Mr Surdo, striking him several times on the head, eyes, lips and mouth, which caused his vision to become “blurry and white”.
When Mr Surdo tried to break free Waddington grabbed him in a headlock and continued to punch him in the face.
The victim was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with facial bruising, a sunken eye, and a shattered cheekbone.
He underwent maxillofacial surgery on January 4, 2016 and required plates and screws to be inserted to fix the cheekbone.
According to Judge Chowdhury’s remarks, Mr Surdo has persistent numbness to this day and without surgical intervention, would have had a permanent facial deformity.
Harrison was sentenced to two years imprisonment with immediate parole release for grievous bodily harm when she faced the Beenleigh District Court on May 11, 2018.
Waddington, who is currently serving a four-month suspended prison sentence for four counts of failing to appear at court and one count of possessing dangerous drugs, was today sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment with immediate parole.
TROY MOSS
Raging ice-addict leads attempted siege on neighbour’s house with six others.
A Brisbane ice-addict on a six-day bender without sleep recruited his father, teenage brother and four other people to lay siege to a house belonging to his neighbour, with whom he had a money-related dispute.
The “vigilante suburban attack”, led by Inala man Troy Andrew Moss, 27, and assisted by his brother, Logan Village man Jayden Leigh Moss, 19, and his father, Peter Andrew Moss, 48, as well as four other people, occurred at an Inala address on August 29, 2019.
Troy pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on May 31 to forcible entry, attempted burglary, threatening violence, going armed so as to cause fear, and four counts of wilful damage.
Father Peter had already pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and three counts of wilful damage and would be sentenced later in the week, while Jayden pleaded guilty in Beaudesert Magistrates Court to charges of threatening violence and wilful damage and was fined $900 with no conviction recorded.
The court heard the dispute was stoked by the neighbour’s claim that his mother’s mobile phone, which Troy helped sell, was paid for with counterfeit money, as well as Troy allegedly owing the mother $1200 from an unrelated matter.
On the day in question, the neighbour demanded the money, to which Troy replied he needed a few hours.
A short while later, the court heard, the neighbour, who lived with his mother and another person, saw an “unknown male brandishing a firearm and making threats” outside his house.
The man retreated, but then the three Mosses, as well as four others, returned to lay siege to the home, the court heard.
They began throwing rocks, sticks and pot plants at the house, shattering several windows and damaging three cars parked out the front of the house.
Troy and another punched at the screen door, ramming it with their bodies; Peter then allegedly stabbed at the door with an aluminium rod to gain entry.
All the while, the court heard, obscenities and threats were being yelled, such as, “Open the door, c***, you’re f****** dead c***”.
The siege lasted half an hour before the seven assailants melted away.
Acting Judge Robert East QC sentenced Troy Moss to 18 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole.
MITCHELL HICKMAN
“Delicate princess” steals thousands from neighbour after name calling.
The younger generation is a bunch of delicate princesses who can’t handle being called names, a magistrate said after sentencing a man who was labelled a “junkie’’ by his neighbour.
Queensland Health worker Mitchell James Hickman was so incensed at the name calling that he broke into his neighbour’s Riverhills home and stole $9000 of goods and caused $1000 damage to a roller door, Richlands Magistrates Court was told on May 26.
It is believed Hickman was a security guard at The Park, a mental health facility at Wacol in Brisbane’s southwest where extremely dangerous inmates are housed.
“This was precipitated by mere name calling when this man (the neighbour) called you a junkie,’’ Magistrate Stuart Shearer told Hickman.
“Most of those of my generation were taught sticks and stones may break our bones, but names can never hurt us.
“But we have a generation of fragile princesses who can’t tolerate even the mildest name calling without descending into (illegal retribution).
“The normal mature adult, when called a junkie, would simply ignore it.’’
Magistrate Shearer said that Hickman instead chose to break into his neighbour’s property on February 14, steal items from the two occupants and confront his neighbour in his bedroom.
Having appeared before courts on three previous occasions, Hickman was sentenced to nine months’ jail, wholly suspended for two years, on the burglary charge and was convicted and not further punished on the drugs charges.
He was also ordered to pay $5700 compensation to his neighbour and $3200 compensation to the neighbour’s housemate, who also had goods stolen.
KOBI KOBEZDA
Magistrate’s words capture horror of “atrocious” assault on neighbours by man threatening to “head-stomp”.
A 19-year-old Redcliffe roofer was jailed in March after violently beating his two neighbours.
Kobi Stefan Kobezda appeared in Redcliffe Magistrates Court on March 9 and pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful assault.
The court heard the victims, both 21-years-old, were attacked by Kobezda and one other man at a Rothwell address on October 23 last year.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall described the attacks as “atrocious”.
“The victims were your neighbours going about lawful activities and were threatened by (Kobezda) and a person accompanying him,” Magistrate Bucknall said.
“One victim has been kicked by (Kobezda) in the chest and he fell to the ground and a physical fight ensued and (Kobezda) threw multiple punches at him.
“The victim attempted to run to safety and the physical assault stopped for a short period of time and he then assaulted the victim again, this time punching him in the left eye socket with a closed fist and assaulted him again by kicking him in the back of the head while saying ‘I’m going to stomp on your head’.”
The court heard that Kobezda grew up in Redcliffe, attended Redcliffe State High School and now worked as a roofer.
Kobezda began using drugs after his best friend died in a tragic accident in 2018. He also lost his aunty and grandmother to cancer in the same year.
In sentencing Magistrate Bucknall said due to the “cowardly fashion” the victims were assaulted and the severity of the assault Kobezda would be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for each charge, to be served concurrently.
A parole release date was set for June 8.
JUDD GOODMAN
Comes armed with scissors to pool stoush.
A Mount Gravatt East man brought a pair of scissors to a confrontation with his neighbour over a disused swimming pool on the block between them, a court heard in March last year.
Judd James Goodman, 33, pleaded guilty to trespass and possessing a knife in a public place after the October 26, 2019 incident.
Holland Park Magistrates Court heard that Goodman and his neighbour were separated on Badminton St by a block which had fallen into “disrepute”.
Of particular concern was the swimming pool, which had become a breeding ground for toads and mosquitoes, according to defence lawyer Tristan Carlos.
Mr Carlos said his client saw the complainant dumping grass clippings in the pool, which was exacerbating the issue.
The pair exchanged obscenities before Goodman went next door and confronted his neighbours while he was holding a pair of scissors.
The neighbour “retreated in fear of his safety,” police prosecutor Carmel Massingham said.
The court heard Goodman had a lengthy criminal history.
Goodman was on a three-month suspended jail sentence when the offences occurred.
The suspended sentence was extended for a further six months, in addition to the six months’ probation. Convictions were recorded.
RACHAEL MARSOM
Neighbour left bloody after seemingly unprovoked attack.
A woman was lucky to escape with some bruises and grazes when she was beaten and kicked by her neighbour.
Rachael Brooke Marsom 43, appeared in Redcliffe Magistrates Court today and pleaded guilty to one count of assault.
The court heard Marsom walked up to her neighbour outside a unit complex on Gynther Road at Rothwell on April 28 at 4.30pm and struck her neighbour with a closed fist in the face.
The 56-year-old was knocked to the ground.
Marsom then kicked the victim twice.
She was left with a split lip, bruising and grazes.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall remarked that it appeared to be an unprovoked attack.
He sentenced Marsom to six months imprisonment to be served by way of an intensive corrections order.
THESE NEIGHBOURS HAD NO CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS RECORDED:
COREY JONES
Threatened partner and “chivalrous” neighbour with two German Shepherds.
A young Moreton Bay man spent a night verbally abusing his partner while intoxicated, then attempted to sic his two german shepherd dogs on her and his good Samaritan neighbour who was trying to shelter her, a court heard in May.
Caboolture man Corey William Jones, 21, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on May 24 to several charges, which included two counts of threatening violence.
The court heard the offences occurred over the night of February 15–16, 2020.
About 10.30pm, an intoxicated Jones spent half an hour “verbally abusing” his partner, calling her “derogatory names” before telling her to “get the f*** out of the house”.
The partner, who the court heard is sticking by her man, left and called the police.
The couple’s 56-year-old neighbour, drawn by the commotion, told the victim to shelter in his house, at which point a “visibly angry” Jones confronted the pair, armed with his two German Shepherd dogs on leads, who he was “riling up”, in the words of Judge Michael Byrne QC.
Jones stood in front of the pair and “threatened (them) with the dogs”.
The neighbour and Jones’ partner fled into the neighbour’s house, the court heard, Jones being told not to enter or he would be trespassing.
When the neighbour looked out the front a short time later, Jones was on the front porch, armed with a German Shepherd, trying to open the safety screen.
He also pounded the window to get in, but left when he heard police sirens approaching.
Judge Byrne told Jones, who had several prior convictions of a similar nature and was on probation at the time of the current offending, his conduct on the night was “disgraceful” and praised his neighbour.
“Thank God chivalry is not dead,” he said.
Jones was placed on two years’ probation with no convictions recorded.
VERONICA VELLA
Nurse strikes elderly bespectacled neighbour after he’s bitten by her German Shepherd.
A 55-year-old nurse “at the end of her tether” in 2019 struck her 70-year-old neighbour after he had been bitten by one of her German Shepherds in an ugly dispute over a jetty.
Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates Court on June 25 last year, Veronica Maria Vella, 55, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.
The court heard Vella had confronted her neighbour “with her two German Shepherds standing either side of her” at 8.30am on September 5, 2019 on the boat ramp and accompanying jetty out the front of her property on Russell Island.
After urging Vella to call off her dogs the complainant was bitten on the knee by one of the animals after which Vella struck the man, breaking his glasses and causing a small cut above his eye.
The victim and Vella had been in a three-year stoush over shared access to the jetty.
“He didn’t even see it (the blow) coming; he described a bang and felt immediate pain to the right side of his face,” a police prosecutor said.
“She hit his glasses.
“He said to her ‘You have gone too far; you are in deep s**t lady.’”
However, Magistrate Deborah Vasta – who marvelled at the health worker’s violent response – acknowledged acrimony had come from both sides.
“You hit a 70-year-old man who wears glasses,” Magistrate Vasta said.
“And he (the complainant) seemed quite hellbent on revenge as well.
“You’re a nurse; you deal with people who have been assaulted.
“You must have been at the end of your tether, for someone of your age and maturity, of good character, never been in front of a court.
“Clearly this has taken a toll on you; this is so out of character.”
Vella was sentenced to a $500, 12-month good behaviour bond and ordered to pay her victim $400 in compensation for his broken glasses and pain and suffering.
No convictions were recorded.
KERRY-JANE DENT
Neighbourly feud culminates with 4am assault when woman’s hair is pulled from “skull” through gate.
A “grossly intoxicated” Logan disability support worker launched a violent 4am assault against her neighbour, grabbing the victim through a gate and pulling “hair from her skull”, after she accused the woman of calling police with a noise complaint.
Kerry-Jane Dent, 47, who is believed to now live in Redbank Plains, pleaded guilty to trespass and assault occasioning bodily harm in company following the March 8 incident at Logan Village last year.
Beenleigh Magistrates Court on August 31, 2020 heard there had been long standing animosity between Dent and one of her neighbours on semi rural Virginia Way.
Dent was “grossly intoxicated” and “barely able to converse”, the court heard, but she told police, “That whore next door made the complaint, I’m going to smash her”.
Less than two hours later, at 4am, she struck.
Dent’s neighbour was woken by noise outside her property and when she went to investigate, she discovered Dent and another person on her property.
The victim approached her front gate to a distance of about 1m and told Dent and the other person repeatedly to leave her property.
However, Dent reached through the gate and pulled her forward into the grate before pushing her into the ground, slamming her neck in the process, and grabbing handfuls of hair so violently the strands were “pulled from the victim’s skull”.
Shocked family members would ultimately separate the defendant from her victim.
Dent, a mother of four, had no criminal history and lost her job as a result of the offending, the court heard.
Defence lawyer Katherine Hanson told the court “both parties were left battered and bruised” following the incident.
Magistrate Clare Kelly described it as “very ugly”, especially as children of both the defendant and victim became involved.
Dent was placed on a nine-month probation order with no convictions recorded.
LEE DOUGLAS SUMMERS
“Go back to your own country you Indian f***wit I will kill you …”
On September 17 last year a court heard a respected businessman’s vile, racist and homophobic tirade against his neighbour resulted in multiple phone calls to police when the man attacked his victim’s front door with a chair during an ugly intoxicated incident over parking.
Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates Court a dapper looking Lee Douglas Summers, 47, pleaded guilty to commit public nuisance and wilful damage.
The court heard intoxicated Wellington Point man Summers had approached his Rye St neighbour in a “very aggressive and highly agitated manner” at 11:30pm on September 17, 2019 after returning home before unleashing a slew of slurs.
The court heard Summers said:
“Go back to your own country you Indian f***wit I will kill you, you Indian curry-munching f***wit.”
The court was told Summer’s victim was so fearful for his safety he ran away from his own home only to return with other residents for support which did little to stymie Summer’s torrent of abuse:
“You f***ing gaybos I am going to punch your f***ing heads off, you f***ing homo, I am going to make sure you are f***ed”.
The incident would escalate when Summers threw his neighbour’s chair at the victim’s window, damaging it, and would continue with the defendant using the same chair to attack his victim’s front door, causing damage to its frame and handle.
Acting Magistrate Leanne Scoines was shown a series of photos showing the damage caused to the victim’s property.
Defence barrister Christopher Hughes said the “out of proportion” response was “very much out of character” for Summers who has run a successful business with his father for 30 years and had no criminal history.
The defendant was placed on a $750 good behaviour bond over 12 months and ordered to pay his victim $500 in compensation.
No convictions were recorded.
TAMARA DE WELDON
Pregnant mother of three lands lip-piercing blow on neighbour following alleged dog spat.
In March a court heard a heavily pregnant Logan single mother responded to a stoush over her neighbour’s dog by slugging the woman in the face, causing her teeth to pierce her upper and lower inner lips.
Edens Landing woman Tamara Maree de Weldon, 27, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The court heard the assault occurred about 7.15pm on January 29 this year at a Hinterwood Ct, Edens Landing address.
The victim in the matter was de Weldon’s 42-year-old neighbour, with whom there had been a running debate about the conduct of her pet dog.
De Weldon, a mother of three, claimed in court that three days prior to the assault, the victim’s dog had “gotten out and attacked my daughter”.
On the night in question, the victim arrived home to find a letter in her mailbox from Logan City Council about her dog following a complaint from de Weldon.
Furious, the neighbour stormed next door and confronted de Weldon, who responded by punching the woman in the face following a verbal altercation.
The neighbour felt “extreme pain and discomfort” after her teeth penetrated her upper and lower inner lips.
Defence lawyer Katherine Long told the court her client suffered from anger issues and had asked the victim to leave the address “on multiple occasions”.
With no criminal history to her name, De Weldon was placed on six months’ probation with no convictions recorded.
Machete gang’s violent spree leaves trail of destruction, anger and fear
A group of hooded offenders armed with knives, a machete and tools have left a trail of destruction and fear in their wake, following a violent crime spree across Brisbane’s south and beyond. WATCH THE VIDEO
Dozens stranded as tide runs out on island barge
A misjudgment left a Moreton Bay island barge stuck in mud, sparking outrage among residents and reigniting debates over the islands’ transport strategy.