Manunda locals living in fear after home invasion horror

The three teens charged over a violent Cairns home invasion where a woman was allegedly dragged from her bed and raped were known to police as the community is gripped by fear.

The three teens charged over a violent Cairns home invasion where a woman was allegedly dragged from her bed and raped while her husband had a knife held to his throat were known to police.

The sickening attack in Manunda on Friday left locals “horrified and disgusted” with many now living in fear of similar attacks in their own homes, Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said.

The outrage comes as the media were locked out of the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Saturday where two of the boys, aged 15 and 16, appeared, prompting an angry Attorney-General Deb Frecklington to demand an explanation.

The magistrate was unaware that the doors of the courthouse had been locked, preventing media from reporting the hearing.

“The Crisafulli government has been clear in its commitment to open up the Children’s Court so media can report to Queenslanders,” Ms Frecklington said.

“We will continue to strengthen the laws as we promised.”

Magistrate Simon Young later said he was surprised no media were present, but confirmed no substantive details were heard.

The Innisfail court house on Edith Street, the main street in the centre of Innisfail. Picture: Brendan Radke

A Department of Justice spokesman denied media were deliberately shut out and said staff were upstairs and did not notice them.

The accused boys are each facing charges of rape, armed robbery, deprivation of liberty, enter dwelling and commit, and enter dwelling with intent by break at night while armed in company.

Living in Manunda where the alleged crimes took place in the early hours of Friday morning, Rosie Barlow and her family were unaware of the startling alleged attack until noticing a heavy police presence in the suburb at daybreak.

“We woke up in the morning and the police were around,” she said.

“I thought someone had died.”

Manunda is an inner suburb of Cairns, Queensland. (ABC News: Conor Byrne)

There has been an out pouring of fear, anger and frustration throughout the broader community of Cairns following the alleged rape in what the mother of five children said was a concerning escalation of commonplace unlawful entry offences.

“It’s very scary, we had our car stolen a couple of years ago, that involved someone we didn’t see come into the kitchen, I was probably affected for six months after that,” she said.

“That’s bad enough, but it does feel like this is next level.

“It feels fairly safe but (the alleged rape) happened, we have upgraded our locks (after the car got stolen,) but that is a way of saying it’s not safe.

“There’s a sense of impotence, you want to do something but you can’t do anything about it.

“You feel like there is something you can do but you don’t know what.

“I was just shocked and so saddened for what that couple are going through and I don’t know if they would ever feel safe and it’s something that they will live with for a long time.”

A police van arrives at Innisfail Court House where three teen boys appeared charged with rape following a sickening home invasion in the Cairns suburbs of Manunda on Friday, February 21.

Former police detective and Bond University criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said the alleged offending highlighted gaps in the state government’s landmark Making Queensland Safer laws, which omitted some serious offences, including rape and deprivation of liberty.

“Given the fact that rape has got a sentence up to life imprisonment I would have thought it would have been one of those screaming for adult crime, adult time,” Dr Goldsworthy said.

Armed robbery and the intent charges are, however, both captured under the tough laws, meaning the trio could theoretically face a maximum of life in jail with a 15-year non-parole period.

Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the alleged attack was “abhorrent”.

“It will have a profound impact on the victims, their loved ones, the first responders and the whole community,’’ he said.

Ms Eden said she was prepared to work with the state government to do more to establish “programs and solutions” to stamp out youth crime in her city.

“Whatever it takes, Cairns stands ready to trial new solutions in the hope we can turn this crisis around,’’ she said.

“Our residents should not have to live in fear in their own homes, but that is exactly what’s happening right now.

“I appreciate the state government’s reforms will take time to have an impact on a crime crisis that has worsened over many years.”

Two of the accused teens are due to reappear in a Cairns court on Monday.

Originally published as Manunda locals living in fear after home invasion horror