Surviving sibling of Murray Street killings, Lewis Jerrimiah Warria, sentenced for attempted armed robbery
A surviving sibling of one of Cairns’ darkest chapters, with a criminal history that began to escalate after the trauma of finding his eight young relatives slain in their Murray Street home, has been sentenced for an attempted armed robbery in company.
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A SURVIVING sibling of one of Cairns’ darkest chapters, with a criminal history that began to escalate after the trauma of finding eight young relatives slain in their Murray Street home, has been sentenced for an attempted armed robbery in company.
Defence barrister Kelly Goodwin said his client, 28-year-old Lewis Jerrimiah Warria came home on the morning of Friday, December 19, 2014 to find his mother, Raina Thaiday, on the front porch of her home with scratches on her face and chest and stab wounds on her body.
Inside he found the bodies of his seven siblings and one cousin.
He picked up the phone and called the police and later had to identify the bodies for detectives.
“As a member of the family, to walk into that situation would be absolutely devastating,” Mr Goodwin said.
“So that would not be by way of excuse but provide some context as to how Mr Warria comes before the court with such a history that could be considered lengthy.”
Ms Thaiday was charged with eight counts of murder but will never stand trial after the Mental Health Court in April 2017 found she was of “unsound mind” at the time of the massacre.
Mr Goodwin said his client had never been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder but he suffered recurring nightmares.
The court heard Warria had self-medicated with alcohol and turned to drugs on occasions.
And it was amid this excessive consumption of alcohol that Warria on November 15, 2021, attempted to rob a taxi driver alongside two co-accused aged 27 and 32.
Warria pleaded guilty to one count of attempted armed robbery in company in the Cairns District Court on Thursday, and a number of other offences including stealing alcohol from bottle shops, stealing petrol, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He was also on a two-month suspended sentence at the time.
The court heard Warria, after failing to pay for a taxi fare, jammed a screwdriver up against the 65-year-old taxi driver’s neck, demanding money and threatening to stab him.
Warria’s two co-accused jumped into the cab.
In footage played to the court, one can be seen briefly grabbing the driver and the other trying to get money, before the cabbie reversed, expelling his assailants and speeding off.
Mr Goodwin said the first thing his client said to him upon viewing the footage was “that’s disgusting” and that he had written a letter expressing his remorse.
He said Warria was looking to seek assistance for both his underlying issues and his alcohol use or abuse.
“In my submission he shows insight into his offending conduct and a willingness to change.”
Crown prosecutor Matt Hancock said the taxi driver “would have been terrified” and but for his resistance, “there could have been more severe consequences”.
Judge Dean Morzone QC accepted Warria’s previous offending “tells a story of (the Murray Street) events and their aftermath and effect on you as well”.
“You have acknowledged those offences and how things have impacted you and it does seem you have significant insight into your own wellbeing,” Judge Morzone said.
“Now it’s time for action.”
Warria was sentenced to three and a half years’ imprisonment, with a parole eligibility of December 17, 2022.
Judge Morzone declared 232 days in pre-sentence custody as time already served.
“Look to the future. It is time to put your time behind you but there is so much to address of the past so you can look forward to a bright future,” Judge Morzone said.
“You have had a most unusual and tragic life so far, but there are young people who look to you as a father and it’s time you stand up to be the father you never had.”
Originally published as Surviving sibling of Murray Street killings, Lewis Jerrimiah Warria, sentenced for attempted armed robbery
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