Zach Perry, Ricky Wilson jailed for roles in Whittington fake cop home invasion
A judge has accepted prison will be more burdensome for a home invader, after his young daughter suffered “horrific burn injuries” in a tragic Corio shed fire that claimed the lives of her three siblings.
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A judge has accepted prison will be more burdensome for a Geelong home invader, after his young daughter suffered “horrific burn injuries” in a tragic Corio fire.
Zachary Perry, 29, and Ricky Wilson, 39, appeared in the County Court on Thursday for sentence, having earlier pleaded guilty to a litany of charges stemming from a Whittington home invasion, including theft and impersonating police officers.
The pair were part of a group of offenders who pretended to be police officers in two incidents on March 20 last year, first robbing two intellectually disabled brothers walking along Solar Dr, before ransacking an Orbit Dr home minutes later, pretending to be police executing a warrant.
The thieves made off with cars, jewellery, electronics, Nike shoes, the home’s CCTV camera system, thousands of dollars in cash and six to eight cannabis plants.
Wilson also pleaded guilty to possessing small amounts of cannabis and ice found on him when he was arrested.
Judge Gavan Meredith sentenced both to a maximum of three years and nine months behind bars, with Perry being eligible for release after two years and Wilson after two and six months.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Meredith highlighted the planned nature of the home invasion, which included procuring a stolen car for the robbery, and the significant impact it had on the victims.
The court heard Perry had a criminal history dating back to 2015 and an ice habit, but had reported being motivated to reform after his daughter “suffered horrific burn injuries in what can only be described as a terrible fire”.
“I accept your time in prison is more burdensome for you as a result of the anguish which you feel for not being able to fulfil your wish and your duty to be there for your daughter,” Judge Meredith said.
Mavis McGregor-Perry was the sole survivor of a horror Corio shed fire in October last year that claimed the lives of her siblings.
The court heard Perry had completed parenting and substance use courses in prison, but Judge Meredith said he could only have “cautious optimism” of Perry’s prospects of rehabilitation.
Judge Meredith said Wilson’s prospects could “only be guarded”.
Wilson, the court heard, had a “history of abuse and dysfunction”, an extensive criminal record and diagnoses of substance-use disorder, gambling use disorder, ADHD and PTSD.
Wilson began drinking at the age of eight, the court heard, and had abused ice, heroin, GHB, prescription medication, ecstasy and ketamine.
His longest period of sobriety was 10 months, following his release from prison in 2021.
Wilson’s problem gambling had cost him $22,000 in one day at the pokies.
Meredith told the court that Wilson had found himself stuck in a cycle of committing crimes to fund his drug and gambling addictions.
“I accept that your troubled background goes some way to explaining the attraction that mind-altering substances have held for you,” Judge Meredith said.
Perry has already spent 385 days in custody, while Wilson has spent 485 days.
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Originally published as Zach Perry, Ricky Wilson jailed for roles in Whittington fake cop home invasion
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