Liquarn Jack Anthony Doolan and Merlin Ashley Massey sentenced for ‘revenge attack’ on teen

Two men who kicked a teenager on the ground and stole his shoes in an aggressive ‘retaliation’ to a young boy who broke into a home have been sentenced.

break and enter generic

A group of men attacked a teenager as he walked along a street at night in what was labelled a ‘revenge attack’ as the men believed the teen had broken into one of their homes.

Two out of three men, Liquarn Jack Anthony Doolan and Merlin Ashley Massey appeared in Townsville District Court Wednesday morning as they were sentenced for the assault that took place in February 2023.

Crown prosecutor Laura Moore said a white utility had followed the 17-year-old which was driven by the third man.

The court was told the door of the car swung open and hit the teen forcing him to fall over struggling to breathe, before Doolan and Massey approached on foot and began kicking the teen as he laid on the ground.

The pair then stole the boy’s bag which had in it a mobile and earphones and they took his Adidas shoes.

“The complainant had been involved in a break-in of the co-offender’s resident,” Ms Moore said.

“He wasn’t charged with it, it occurred three months prior and had nothing to do with the two offenders being dealt with today.”

Judge William Everson noted the teen’s victim impact statement.

“The way I read it was that the complainant suffered extreme anxiety and a number of debilitating social impacts however if he’s previously been roaming around ... in a group and broken into one of the alleged offender’s houses it starts to look like everyone’s being lawless rather than he was innocent and being picked on,” he said.

Ms Moore said the complainant accepted he took part in a break in of the co-offenders home, but nothing was taken and other people were involved.

She labelled the attack on the teen as “extremely violent”.

“It was perhaps revenge or retaliation,” she said.

Judge Everson said it was clearly a “revenge attack”.

The court was told both Doolan and Massey had no criminal histories at the time of the assault but since the attack, Massey had been convicted of eight offences and was in custody.

Massey’s defence barrister Ross Malcomson instructed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Legal Services said his client had been raised in a home “where violence was a predominant feature”.

He told the court Massey worked in tree lopping, cleaning pubs in Townsville and worked in lawn care and gardening.

“(Massey) has served a relatively short period in custody but still, it was his first time in custody, you could release him on parole today,” Mr Malcomson said.

Doolan’s defence barrister Tom Hancock instructed by Legal Aid Queensland told the court his client was the eldest of six and had the support of his grandparent who sat at the back of the courtroom.

Judge Everson questioned the lawyer about Doolan’s work history as it was explained he worked in yard maintenance and had completed some mechanic work.

“He’s only had sporadic employment and he’s 20, that’s not a good work history,” His Honour said.

“He should get a job.”

Mr Hancock replied, “I accept that and his game plan on that front is he has aspirations to become a mechanic”.

“Well he better get on with it,” His Honour said.

“I completely agree and Your Honour could assist in that way by affording him an immediate parole release date,” Mr Hancock said.

Judge Everson noted the victim was not “innocent and blameless”.

The men pleaded guilty to robbery in company with violence and they were sentenced to two years’ jail each, both immediately released on parole.

His Honour declared the 89 days Massey spent in pre-sentence custody as time already served.

Originally published as Liquarn Jack Anthony Doolan and Merlin Ashley Massey sentenced for ‘revenge attack’ on teen