Dwayne Jeffrey Parfitt jailed for over six years for carjackings during wild crime spree

A man is behind bars after two people were violently carjacked, including a pizza delivery driver, in a wild crime spree from Whyalla to Adelaide.

A father-of-four is behind bars after two people were carjacked in a wild crime spree from Whyalla to Adelaide.

Dwayne Jeffrey Parfitt, 37, was jailed for more than six years after the police pursuit finally ended once he crashed into a tree in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Parfitt broke into a Whyalla Norrie house on December 16 and stole a purse containing credit cards and $500.

The next day, a man was making a pizza delivery in Whyalla Stuart when Parfitt started running towards him.

“You stood over him and produced a Stanley knife, telling him to drop everything,” Judge Liesl Kudelka said.

Dwayne Parfitt jailed for violent carjackings during his wild crime spree. Photo: 7News

Parfitt, who was disqualified from driving, stole cash and the victim’s car key before driving away in his Suzuki.

On December 22, a man arrived home at Blair Athol and left his keys in his Mitsubishi while unloading groceries.

“You started the car, reversed out the driveway and sped off towards Main North Road,” Judge Kudelka said.

It was observed by police who had been tracking the stolen Suzuki via PolAir.

Police then saw Parfitt get out of the Mitsubishi and run towards a Subaru station wagon in a car park at Campbelltown.

Parfitt went to the driver’s side seat and pulled the driver out of the car and threw him to the ground.

The court heard Parfitt got in and drove the car towards the city, leaving the victim bleeding from the mouth with a sore jaw.

At one stage during the police pursuit the Subaru collided with the front driver’s side door of a police car before Parfitt sped off.

The pursuit came to an end in Rose Park after Parfitt lost control of the Subaru and crashed into a tree.

Dwayne Parfitt's crime spree came to an end after he crashed into a tree. Photo: 7News

“You were pursued by the police on foot and then incapacitated by a police officer who used a taser to arrest you,” Judge Kudelka said.

Parfitt, of Whyalla Norrie, pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including theft using force and serious criminal trespass.

The court heard Parfitt, who had a traumatic childhood, had very little memory of what he did.

“I understand that you have dealt with your trauma by using drugs to try and make the pain go away and that you now have some insight into how that does not work,” Judge Kudelka said.

Judge Kudelka sentenced Parfitt to six years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of four years and 11 months.

“Your criminal behaviour in December 2023 was terribly frightening to people who were just going about their everyday lives,” she said.

“What you did has caused them trauma.”

The sentence was backdated to December 22.

Originally published as Dwayne Jeffrey Parfitt jailed for over six years for carjackings during wild crime spree