Matthew Enman, Nathan McGrath charged with break and enter, knives

Two tradies have faced court after allegedly being found with knives, a military-style machete, drugs, a crowbar and baton on a rural private property in Sydney’s southwest.

A pair of workmates have faced court after they were allegedly found with knives, a military-style machete, drugs, a crowbar and baton on a rural private property in Sydney’s southwest.

Matthew Enman, 40, and Nathan McGrath, 36, appeared at Picton Local Court on Thursday to face court after they were allegedly caught trespassing on the private property at Menangle last month.

According to a police fact sheet tendered to the court, police searched Mr Enman’s Bringelly home on October 28, where they found a tabletop trailer, boat trailer, box trailer and plant trailer, which had all been allegedly stolen from the Macarthur and Liverpool regions over the past 18 months.

Mr Enman, who works as a carpenter, was not home and did not return home or talk to police, court documents state.

Matthew Enman and Nathan McGrath have been charged with trespassing on a property near Menangle with a number of knives and drugs. Picture: Adelaide Lang

On the afternoon of November 3, the pair allegedly drove Mr Enman’s Toyota Hilux to the Stevens Rd property at Menangle with mud smeared over the number plate.

According to court documents, the property is surrounded by fencing indicating it is private land with warnings against trespassing. The pair allegedly walked past a CCTV camera which detected them and alerted a security company.

The owner was notified, who confirmed the pair did not have permission to enter the home and called police before driving to the property to find the Hilux parked out the front, court documents state.

Camden Proactive Crime Team officers went to the Stevens Rd property and allegedly found the pair outside the building.

Mr Enman was arrested and charged with trespass offences and possessing allegedly stolen vehicles. Mr McGrath was found a short time later, allegedly with a bag containing a yellow flick knife and wire cutters, and was also placed under arrest.

The men were searched and Mr Enman was allegedly found with a silver-coloured metal door handle, which he told police he “picked it up off the ground”.

When asked why there was mud on his number plate, Mr Enman told police “Maybe I didn’t clean it, I don’t know” before later saying “I did it, I was mucking around chucking s**t at it”, according to court documents.

Matthew Enman and Nathan McGrath have been ordered not to contact each other while on strict bail. Picture: Adelaide Lang

Police allege they found multiple knives in the car including a bowie knife, a hunting knife, a military-style machete, a pocket knife, and a Stanley knife. Officers also claim they found resealable bags with 7.1 grams of marijuana and 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, a crowbar, baton and other drug paraphernalia.

Mr McGrath was asked about the bowie knife, which was allegedly found near the gearstick of the car, according to the police fact sheet.

He replied: “It’s mine, it’s how I bought it from the shops. I use it to cut ropes, I travel back and forth from the farm, I didn’t know it was an offence, I was carrying it in a locked car.”

Mr McGrath allegedly told police the hunting knife and bowie knife were for hunting.

The men, both from Bringelly, were taken to Narellan police station where they were charged.

In Picton Local Court on Thursday, Mr Enman pleaded not guilty to four counts of goods suspected stolen on premises (motor vehicle), enter enclosed land without lawful excuse, enter building with intent commit indictable offence, possess housebreaking implements, larceny, custody of knife in public place, possess a prohibited weapon without permit, found with intent to commit indictable offence previous conviction, two counts of possess prohibited drug, use class A vehicle displaying altered number-plate, and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle).

Nathan McGrath and Matthew Enman appeared at Picton Local Court on Thursday.

Mr McGrath did not enter pleas for his charges of entering enclosed land without lawful excuse, entering building with intent commit indictable offence, possessing housebreaking implements, larceny, two counts of custody of knife in public place, possessing a prohibited weapon without permit, using class A vehicle displaying altered number-plate, and two counts of possessing prohibited drugs.

Magistrate Mark Douglass said he would order a brief to be served on both men.

“I’m not going to separate the two matters,” he said. “I’m going to leave them together.”

However, the magistrate told Mr McGrath pleas must be entered on the next occasion.

The court heard the pair work together as tradies, with Mr Enman as the boss, but they were ordered not to contact each other as part of their bail conditions.

Both men will reappear in Picton Local Court on January 12 to set a hearing date for Mr Enman and to obtain pleas from Mr McGrath.