Kurt Devries: Man jailed over assault at Traralgon property

A Noble Park construction worker was traumatised by his mum’s suicide when he broke into a Gippsland home over a drug debt.

A Noble Park dad broke into a Gippsland home and assaulted a man because of an outstanding drug debt.

Kurt Devries, 38, was sentenced at the County Court on October 15 after pleading guilty to aggravated home invasion, common assault and prohibited person possessing a firearm.

The court heard two victims bought cannabis from one of Devries’ co-accused on November 16, 2020.

There was a verbal dispute about a $20 debt that was previously owed but the victims left with 2 grams of cannabis.

Devries and his four co-accused then went to one of the victims house in Traralgon around 4.35am the next day.

Devries’ female co-accused forced opened the door and assaulted the victim.

Devries, who was armed with a hand gun, pointed it at the victim’s face before the man ran away.

The court heard the offending occurred because a knife was allegedly held to the throat of Devries’ male co-accused over the outstanding drug debt.

Judge Paul Lacava said Devries was using cocaine and methamphetamine at the time.

“That is not an excuse but perhaps partly explains why you overreacted in the way that you did,” he said.

The court heard the construction worker’s childhood was unstable as his mum suffered from drug use and mental health issues.

Judge Lacava said Devries was “traumatised” after he discovered his mum’s dead body when she died of suicide six years ago.

He said the man’s offending was a “massive and violent over-reaction”.

“The offending had aspects of pre-planning because of the numbers involved all coming together,” Judge Lacava said.

“You took weapons with you to threaten.”

Devries was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years.

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