Francesco Surace jailed for 10 years, Giuseppe Surace for eight years over Pimpama shooting
Shocking vision of the moment a southeast Queensland student was shot in the face with a shotgun has been released. It comes as two brothers have been jailed over the “bizarre” Boxing Day attack. Warning: Distressing content.
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A MAN who randomly shot a budding doctor and his father at their Gold Coast home, after claiming their property belonged to him, has been jailed for 10 years over the “bizarre” Boxing Day attack.
Francesco Surace, 44, today pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court to a raft of offences including attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a shotgun and trespass.
He also confessed to supplying drugs in a correctional centre, unlawful possession of a weapon and common assault.
The charges came after Surace was found shirtless, trespassing at a Pimpama property while walking his dog on December 26, 2016.
The court heard the man made “bizarre” claims the property belonged to him, allegedly showing police documents, before being arrested and taken to Coomera Police Station.
The claims were untrue.
After being granted bail, Surace and his brother Giuseppe Surace returned to the property and shot medical student Isaac Wensley and his father Raymond with a shotgun after an altercation.
The court heard Isaac Wensley was shot in the face and later lost an eye.
Surace also shot the man’s father in the groin during the attack at the caravan-storage facility.
Shocking vision of the attack can be today be shown for the first time.
Defence barrister Wayne Tolton said medical records showed Surace was high on drugs at the time of the offending.
“I don’t think you need a doctor to know that,” Justice David Boddice quipped during the sentencing.
Mr Tolton also said his client was remorseful and had no criminal history at the time he shot the father and son.
Surace was sentenced to a head sentence of 10 years’ jail for attempted murder.
He was also deemed a serious violent offender, which means he must serve 80 per cent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
He has already served 998 days on remand.
During sentencing, Justice Boddice said it was tragic the bizarre behaviour “resulted in terrible consequences for the victims”.
“Raymond Wensley has to live not only with having pellets inside his body and not only the trauma, but also having seen what happened to his son when you shot him in the face,” he said.
“It still is difficult to understand what possessed you to take a shotgun back to the premises, let alone use it on two people.”
After he was sentenced, members of the Wensley family called Surace a “f***ing coward” as he was escorted to the cells.
Giuseppe Surace was sentenced to eight years’ jail on the basis he was a party to his brother’s offending, after pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm while in company and two counts of grievous bodily harm earlier this month.
Originally published as Francesco Surace jailed for 10 years, Giuseppe Surace for eight years over Pimpama shooting