Jayton Lindsay jailed over pair of frightening home invasions

A family’s small children still have nightmares more than a year after a drug-addled burglar broke into their home in the dead of night.

Geelong Law Courts. Picture: Alan Barber

A family’s small children still have nightmares more than a year after a drug-addled burglar broke into their home in the dead of night.

Jayton Thomas Lindsay, 22, appeared in the County Court at Geelong via videolink on Tuesday, after last week pleading guilty to two aggravated burglaries and possession of a litany of drugs.

Judge Michael O’Connell jailed Lindsay for a maximum of three years, with a non-parole period of 18 months.

Jayton and a co-accused broke into two Leopold homes between August 1-5, 2023.

Both times the pair were confronted by a homeowner who woke to find them “roaming” their house.

On the second occasion, a couple woke after the thieves roused their dogs and a man was threatened with a screwdriver before the robbers stole the family’s cars.

Lindsay was linked to the first burglary after his fingerprints were found inside and outside one of the victim’s cars, which had been sitting in his driveway.

Following the second burglary, the stolen cars were located and Lindsay’s home was raided.

Police found stolen items in his bedroom, along with amounts of various drugs – ice, alprazolam (xanax), LSD, diazepam (valium), ketamine and testosterone.

Judge O’Connell said the victims’ impact statements “make it plan that these types of offences can cause real and lasting harm”.

He said a couple, who were victims in the second burglary and read their statements aloud, were “heartfelt and impressive”.

He noted their children “still wake at night with nightmares or fears” stemming from the home invasion.

However, Judge O’Connell noted that the couple were “particularly gracious”.

The couple were empathetic towards Lindsay in their statements.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge O’Connell noted Lindsay’s youth, difficult background, willingness to take responsibility for his actions and “developing insight and maturity”.

Lindsay lived in the care of his mother until the age of 10, the court heard.

She was abusive and an alcoholic, and Linsday displayed behavioural problems at school.

Judge O’Connell told the court a psychologists report had diagnosed him with severe generalised anxiety, social anxiety and complex-PTSD.

Throughout his teens, the court heard Lindsay developed a “substantial substance abuse problem”, beginning with cannabis at age 14, followed by MDMA, GHB, ice and prescription medication.

He was high on ice at the time of the burglaries, having been using 1g of the drug daily for months leading up to the offending.

He previously appeared in the Magistrates Court in 2020 and the County Court in 2021.

Judge O’Connell said he was impressed with Lindsay’s participation in the Koori Court process, telling the court Lindsay “listened carefully to the victims”, showed remorse and insight, and “appeared genuinely willing to reform”.

However, Judge O’Connell told the court that general deterrence was a prominent factor in his sentencing.

“Sentencing judges cannot ignore community disquiet about the prevalence of home invasions,” he said.

Lindsay has already served 364 days in prison.

Originally published as Jayton Lindsay jailed over pair of frightening home invasions