No convictions: Teens jailed over brutal ‘war zone’ Kefu home invasion

The Attorney-General is seeking advice after two teens, who stormed rugby legend Toutai Kefu’s home armed with knives, injuring four were sentenced, with no convictions recorded.

Two teenagers who stormed the home of Wallabies legend Toutai Kefu in the middle of the night armed with knives, seriously injuring two family members and badly injuring two others, have been jailed with no convictions recorded.

In Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Peter Davis said the pair must serve eight years and seven years respectively, but only need to serve half before they can be released, meaning one could be free in six months.

This was despite prosecutors arguing for more than the maximum 10 years.

Justice Davis said the crime was so brutal that photos taken by police inside the home in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo looked like a war zone, and showed blood splashed and smeared.

Mother Rachel Kefu, 48, slipped in blood as she fought for her life, and Toutai Kefu suffered a life-threatening injury when he was stabbed in stomach and would have died if he did not have surgery.

During the hearing in May, Crown prosecutor David Finch urged Justice Davis to jail the pair for more than the maximum 10 years due to the heinous nature of the crime.

If they had been adults, they could have been jailed for life.

Neither teen had prior criminal convictions but one had been charged with criminal offences weeks earlier.

Former rugby union star Toutai Kefu, his wife Rachel and their five children – Joshua, Madison, Olivia, Isaac and Lucia. Photograph: David Kelly

Justice Davis told the pair, who were 15 at the time, that it was clear they realised on the morning of August 16, 2021 that they may encounter members of the family when they crept into the home just after 3am, invading the “sanctity” of the family home.

“If someone wakes up, you just stab them,” the teen boys said to their two accomplices while they chatted in a stolen Hyundai outside the Kefu home before they went in.

One boy was armed with what Justice Davis described as a “quite wicked” sickle or cane knife, the other had a knife, and they broke into the home by climbing through a window with a plan to steal the keys to a Volkswagen car parked outside the home.

Together with two co-offenders who did not enter the home, they planned to drive two stolen cars to the Gold Coast to race them.

Mrs Kefu was the first to go downstairs around 3.10am after hearing a car door close and disturbed the teen intruders near the kitchen.

Her screams woke her husband, who jumped over a banister from the upstairs bedroom to defend his wife, charging at the two with a stool.

Both of the teens attacked Mr Kefu, but only one was found to have stabbed him in the chest, with the knife penetrating 25mm into his liver – a life-threatening injury.

The other teen attacked Mrs Kefu, cutting her arm to the bone, after they offered their car keys and gave them the opportunity to leave.

Rachel, Toutai, Josh and Madi Kefu were all injured.

Joshua Kefu shows his wounded back after getting stitches.

The couple’s then 21-year-old son Joshua suffered deep cuts all over his back and arm and a dislocated shoulder, and 18-year-old daughter Madison’s hand was cut.

The invaders were originally charged with attempted murder but after a plea deal with the Director of Public Prosecutions, the charges were downgraded.

Justice Davis concluded this was fair because they did not intend to kill the Kefus.

Both offenders pleaded guilty to charges including burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and four counts of malicious act with intent.

One pleaded guilty to two extra charges, including the assault of Ben Cannon, a neighbour who ran to help.

Both teens have been in juvenile detention since 2021.

The teen who injured Mr and Mrs Kefu was sentenced to eight years for two “particularly heinous” crimes, while the boy who only injured Mr Kefu was sentenced to seven years for one “heinous” crime.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said she was seeking advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“On days like this, my thoughts are always with the victims of the crime, who are forced to relive the traumatising and life-changing event,” she said.

“While the decision has only just been handed down, I will be requesting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions about next steps.”

Former rugby union star Toutai Kefu, his wife Rachel. Photograph: David Kelly

The court was told the first teen was bullied at school due to his Tourette syndrome and had suicidal thoughts after his experimentation with drugs and inability to continue playing tennis due to an injury.

He was sorry for his crimes but understood his actions could not be undone.

The second teen was born in East Africa and fled home to avoid witnessing domestic violence between his parents, then began smoking cannabis, drinking alcohol and hanging out with the wrong crowd.

He told the court it was normal for his peers to carry weapons to defend themselves.

One accomplice who did not enter the house was sentenced in February and walked free with time already served. This boy and a second accomplice were sentenced to 2½ years in custody, to serve half, by Judge Ian Dearden.

“The offending here is very serious, the seriousness of the offending may itself justify the recording of a conviction,” Justice Davis said.

“However … neither of you have prior convictions … and neither of you have had the benefit of supervision pursuant to orders under the Youth Justice Act.

“Both of you have taken the opportunities that have been presented to you whilst in detention … no convictions ought to be recorded.”

Police at the scene of the Kefu home invasion.