13 shocking cases from Victorian courts this week

From a woman ripping off her employer to spend almost $200,000 on Candy Crush to an ex-copper who choked someone until he blacked out, here’s the latest court wrap.

It’s been another big week in Melbourne’s courts — here’s the pick of the best yarns our team has covered.

From a woman ripping off her employer to spend almost $200,000 on Candy Crush to an ex-copper who choked someone until he blacked out, here’s some of what happened in Victorian courts this week.

Allison Simmons, Melbourne County Court

A devious scoundrel who ripped almost $900,000 from a family owned Mildura mushroom farm blew $181,000 playing Candy Crush.

Allison Simmons, 52, fronted the County Court on Monday after pleading guilty to multiple theft charges.

Find out how she stole the money and read the full story here.

Mark Coombs, Shepparton County Court

A Seymour man who possessed and distributed photos and videos of young children performing vile sex acts has pleaded guilty in the County Court at Shepparton.

Mark Coombs

Mark Coombs, 54, faced four charges all relating to the possession and transmission of child abuse material.

Find to find out how police tracked him down and read the full story here.

Murat Balcioglu, County Court

A vile thug assaulted and raped a woman during a terrifying eight hour attack after stalking her from a Melbourne railway station.

Crown prosecutor Holly Baxter outlined the victim’s harrowing ordeal during a plea hearing for Murat Balcioglu in the County Court on Monday.

Read the full story here.

Matthew Brincat, Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

A former top-line Melbourne barber’s rising career has faded away after he was clipped for a sophisticated motorbike theft racket.

Matthew 'Matty' Brincat

Matthew ‘Matty’ Brincat, 28, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday to various drug and theft offences.

Find out why he told police he fell into crime and read the full story here.

Michael Pershouse, County Court

A drugged-up motorist with a horror history of driving offences who fell asleep at the wheel and crashed with children on-board has been jailed.

Michael Pershouse, 36, pleaded guilty in the County Court to two charges of dangerous driving causing serious injury, failing a drug test within three hours of driving and driving while disqualified.

Find out how much jail time he got and read the full story here.

Dale Wiegand, Bendigo Magistrates’ Court

A Bendigo dad-of-four who is “lucky to be alive” after heart surgery spat in a woman’s face in front of her child before getting in a fight with the police.

Dale Wiegand

Dale Wiegand, 35, pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and resisting police after a 6am alarm sent him on an “abusive” rampage on September 26 last year.

Find out the outlandish reason for his attack and read the full story here.

Damien Graham, Bendigo County Court

A former dairy farm manager’s descent into meth and heroin addiction saw him take part in a four-month crime spree burglarising servos and car washes in stolen cars.

Father of five Damien Graham, 33, was convicted and sentenced at Bendigo County Court to for a string of thefts and burglaries.

Find out how long he got and read the full story here.

Ashley Ciccone, Shepparton County Court

A Cobram man who broke into his ex-partner’s house and bashed her in front of their daughter has learnt his fate in the Shepparton County Court.

Ashley Mark Ciccone

Ashley Mark Ciccone pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and recklessly causing injury in court after assaulting his former partner of 20 years after threatening to kill her.

Find out how the argument escalated and read the full story here.

Luke Bull, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court

A former police officer with a history of violence has fronted court for choking a man until he blacked out at a community football club.

Luke Bull pleaded guilty in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court last week to recklessly causing injury, while suspended from Victoria Police for unrelated matters.

Find out what the magistrate had to say and read the full story here.

Gayle Maher, Melbourne County Court

A dishonest mother who attempted to fraudulently obtain the life insurance payout of her son by falsifying his death certificate has escaped jail.

Gayle Maher

Gayle Maher, an office manager from Mordialloc, was sentenced in the County Court on Tuesday to a two-year community corrections order after admitting to a charge of obtaining property by deception.

Find out the bizarre lengths she went to to claim money and read the full story here.

Robert Larson, Bendigo County Court

A Bendigo murderer who tried twice in one night to burn down his neighbour’s house over a petty feud had arson attacked neighbours in the past while on parole for a life sentence.

Robert Larson, 56, faced Bendigo County Court on Monday after setting fire to his neighbour’s Golden Square house in August 2022 in a long-running feud.

Find out what he was sentenced and read the full story here.

Robert Glowacki, County Court

A serial crook was out of prison for just two days before he and two others kicked in the door to a woman’s home and held her at knifepoint.

Robert Glowacki was sentenced in the County Court on Tuesday to four years’ and six months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary.

Find out what the judge had to say and read the full story here.

Peter Tierney, Bendigo County Court

A Kerang dairy farmer who raped a woman after she refused to give him a “birthday quickie” has been jailed.

Peter Tierney, 53, was convicted and sentenced at Bendigo County Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a single charge of rape.

Find out how long he got and read the full story here.