All the strangest crimes heard before the Ringwood Magistrates Court in 2024

From the sex offender who tried to rent out his home on Airbnb to the church thief who hid in the pews, here are the most bizarre Ringwood court cases of 2024.

A number of bizarre crimes were heard in Ringwood court in 2024. Picture: Supplied

Thousands of faces appear before the Ringwood Magistrates Court every year, but some leave a lasting impression with their bizarre crimes.

From divine theft, to holidaying with a sex offender or a former Olympian’s strange tyre slashing outburst, here are the strangest court cases from 2024.

Divine theft

Rodney Allan Need was not concerned by divine judgement when he broke into a local church twice in hopes of stealing collection money before hiding in the pews to avoid detection.

The Box Hill South man was jailed after he terrorised his local church and two businesses during a month-long unsophisticated burglary spree to fund his drug addiction.

Need targeted St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Box Hill South. Picture: Supplied.

On his first attempt, Need used a key to open the church door before rummaging through the main office.

Need stole $20 from a collection plate in the office and fled the scene.

A church caretaker was able to show police CCTV footage of the burglary.

Less than a month later, Need once again tried his luck stealing from the church.

He forced entry to the building by smashing the front door and a side window and hid in the pews after he was startled by a parishioner.

Need then fled the church empty-handed when the police was called.

In April, Need was convicted and sentenced to ten months in jail without parole, in addition to the 152 days he had already served in custody.

Former Olympian turned tyre slasher

A three-time Olympian fronted court in May after he slashed all four tyres on his ex-wife’s car in a sleeping pill-induced haze after breaking up with his girlfriend.

Russell Lavale competed at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. Picture: Supplied.

Russell Lavale drove to his ex-wife’s home on December 17 to drop off some items.

He drove away, then returned to slash all of her tyres and smash two of her lights.

After he was arrested, Lavale said he had taken 16 sleeping pills.

Days later, he sent a text apology to his ex-wife and claimed he broke up with his girlfriend and he doesn't know why he did slashed her tyres.

Lavale was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond.

Short stay with sex offender

A man who drugged and sexually assaulted a disabled teenager was busted renting out his Ringwood home on Airbnb.

Serge Ranwala, who drugged and sexually assaulted a disabled teenager is rented out his Ringwood home on Airbnb. Picture: Supplied.

Serge Ranwala pleaded guilty to drug possession and breaches of his sex offenders registry reporting obligations in January.

Ranwala — who used the username Serge on Airbnb — offered two guest rooms in his three bedroom home and had a 4.5 star rating.

The Bedford Rd rental included a private bedroom and access to shared spaces with the registered sex offender.

Ranwala rented out two guest rooms on Airbnb. Picture: Supplied.

The listing had a mixed bag of reviews.

“While Serge was nice and friendly, the smell, clutter, and dirtiness of the place is just too much to take,” one guest wrote.

“Serge is a great host and always there when you need him, very nice and wants to share all he knows about the area,” another review read.

Ranwala was convicted and fined $2000 for the breaches.

Tennis court thug

A vile thug who attacked a woman after he objected to her being in a public tennis court was dragged before Ringwood courts in May.

Matthew Van Roosmalen was walking in a Kilsyth park with his brother when he spotted a woman standing in a tennis court with her child.

The woman was attacked after she stood on a public tennis court with her child. Picture: Nicholas Falconer

Van Roosmalen yelled at the 29-year-old woman: “You can’t be in there”.

The woman left the tennis court and began to walk away, but Van Roosmalen started following her.

He pushed the woman, then repeatedly punched and kicked her while she was on the ground, and also threw his bottle of bourbon at her.

The entire assault was filmed on a phone.

Emergency services were called to the woman’s aid but Van Roosmalen had already left the scene.

He was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with unpaid community work.

Bumbling burglar

Strange court stories aren’t always about the crime, some are about the way the criminals were caught.

When a group of Donvale neighbours spotted a man being chased down a street by a resident’s son, they joined the hunt, grabbed the attempted thief and restrained him until police arrived.

Matthew Antrim, of Croydon, was chased down the street by residents. Picture: Supplied.

Matthew Antrim walked into a Donvale home in broad daylight through the unlocked front door at 11.10am on February 2.

He wandered into the bedroom, where he was caught by the homeowner leaving the ensuite bathroom.

When confronted, Antrim claimed he thought the house was “his mate’s house” before fleeing the home.

The homeowner called out to her son, who chased the man.

Neighbours joined the pursuit and grabbed the attempted burglar, before police arrived and arrested Antrim, who was on bail at the time.

Antrim was convicted and sentenced to 10 months’ jail, having already served 153 days in pre-sentence detention.