Daniel Jules Landini: Machete-wielding robber learns fate for Club Dalmeny heist

One half of a duo of thieves who raided a club on the NSW South Coast armed with a machete and a shotgun has been sentenced. The other half is still on the run. Watch the scary footage.

A drug-fuelled armed thief who ransacked a club in a small NSW South Coast town in 2021 has avoided being sent behind bars.

A machete-wielding Daniel Jules Landini, and a still unknown man carrying a shotgun, stormed into Club Dalmeny just after it closed on a Tuesday evening in June last year with the female duty manager left cowering in the club‘s walk-in safe.

Landini, 42, appeared in Wollongong District Court on Friday for sentencing following guilty pleas to aggravated break and enter to commit a serious indictable offence with a weapon and being carried in a conveyance taken without the owner‘s consent.

The horrifying event unfolded shortly before 7pm when Landini, wearing a white hoodie, caused multiple loud bangs as he and his secret accomplice busted through the front glass doors.

The woman, who was by herself while going about her closing duties, fled to the club‘s strong room, backing into a corner and turning the light off.

The two men rummaged through the tills and cupboards with the CCTV showing Landini holding his cut-up right hand which was dripping blood throughout the crime scene.

The unknown man walked up to the safe where the victim was hiding and pointed the sawn-off firearm at the door and demanded she let him in.

“F***** open the door,” he threatened.

Daniel Jules Landini caught on CCTV breaking into Club Dalmeny.

Daniel Jules Landini's unknown accomplice.

“I‘ve got a shotgun, I’ll f***** kill ya if you don’t open the door.”

The woman remained frozen still before the crim screamed “f***” and walked away.

The burglars grabbed a shopping bag out of the staffroom which contained the victim‘s belongings including her purse, licence, an assortment of cards and $80 in cash.

They also stole the woman‘s car keys which were also on the table before fleeing the joint and driving off in her car which was the only vehicle in the parking lot.

Eight days later, police arrested Landini outside Moruya Hospital, which is a 30 minute drive from Dalmeny.

The officers noticed a wound on his right hand which a doctor later opined was about one week old.

The court on Friday heard about Landini‘s battle to overcome a methamphetamine addiction which came about as a result of failing to address underlying trauma stemming back to his youth.

Landini was drug-affected on the night of the robbery and he said he didn‘t remember the event even after the shocking footage was aired in court.

Club Dalmeny had just closed for the night before the break-in. Picture: Facebook

The court also heard Landini suffered from stage five kidney disease and required dialysis for five hours, three times a week and would need to trim down to 90kg to potentially receive a kidney transplant.

Landini had an opportunity to unmask the accomplice, however, he refused with Judge Andrew Haesler expressing his concern that “There‘s someone out there with a gun”.

“You will not be punished for not revealing [the man‘s identity], but it would have helped you considerably,” the judge said.

When asked what he would do if he saw this man in the streets, Landini said he “would walk the other way”.

Landini‘s wife of more than 20 years Sharon Mason testified that he was a changed man now he wasn’t taking drugs.

“He‘s a lot more calm,” she said.

“He‘s easier to talk to, not as angry and pig-headed.

“He‘s a lot more loving and he’s the person I fell in love with 20 years ago.”

Daniel Jules Landini outside Wollongong Courthouse with wife Sharon Mason on Friday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Justice Haesler characterised offending as a “disturbing criminal incident” before sentencing Landini to an intensive corrections order of two years and 10 months which he said to be ”statistically very lenient” for the break and enter offence which carries a maximum of 25 years in jail.

“This was not a subtle break in … what was stolen may have been small value, but it was of maximum inconvenience,” the judge said.

“A regimen of dialysis and long-term use of methamphetamine are inconsistent. The use of drugs with that condition will significantly shorten his life.

“His wife has plenty of reasons to turn her back on her husband … She has told me the man she still loves has changed and is still loving and the man she fell in love with.

“He has an underlying history of offending that is uncontroversial and tragic.”

The judge also referred to Landini‘s father’s criminal history, his traumatic experience of finding his mother deceased with a syringe in her arm and memories of childhood abuse while in care.

The ICO will expire in June 2025 with Justice Heasler ordering Landini not enter the carpark or premises of Club Dalmeny or Club Narooma (which shares the same owner), engage with the Community Corrections supervision plan and undertake treatment programs as directed.