Jayden Boyle, Austin Donald-Hauler: Ferntree Gully friends in court over horror home invasion

A Ferntree Gully couple was subjected to a terrifying attack on their doorstep at the hands of these suburban thugs and their mates.

Austin Donald-Hauler and Jordan Boyle have fronted court over a terrifying home invasion at Ferntree Gully. Picture: Facebook

A group of thugs stormed a Ferntree Gully couple’s home armed with a taser and knuckle dusters and assaulted the pair – all to help their mate settle an argument.

Jayden Boyle, 25, was sentenced to 444 days’ jail and a 12-month community corrections order in the County Court on Tuesday, having pleaded guilty to charges including assault and attempted aggravated burglary.

The unemployed Ferntree Gully man fronted court with pal Austin Donald-Hauler, 25, who also who took part in the dinnertime attack on a man and woman on November 11, 2018.

The court heard a group of four men rocked up to the couple’s Gaydon St home and approached the front door, where the male victim came outside.

The victim told one thug that if he had a problem, he could call him.

Judge Gwynn told the court the matter should have ended there.

But the thug responded, “You think you’re tough, I’ve got all my mates with me”, which Judge Gwynn said was quite ironic.

“It’s hardly tough to attend with three mates at someone else’s private residence,” she said.

The terrified woman then went outside to find the crims crowding around her boyfriend yelling abuse and threats, the court was told.

The male victim said he was going to call the police and turned to go inside before he was hit in the side of the head.

The victims noticed Boyle was holding metal knuckle dusters with spikes and heard him activate a taser as he yelled, “I want the f*cking dog in there!”

Boyle and one of the others struggled to get through the front door as the woman desperately pushed to shut it.

Boyle then repeatedly struck the door with the knuckle dusters and hit the woman in the head multiple times and she stood beside the door and tried to cover her head.

Her boyfriend opened the door to get her inside and both victims were punched in the head again.

One of the thugs asked for their phones, wallets, jewellery and dope, then said he would “f*ck them up” if police were called.

One attacker then spat at the victims as the group took off.

The following day Boyle and another of the attackers sent threats and abuse to the male victim.

Boyle was arrested on November 22 but Donald-Hauler was not arrested until April 2, 2019 after he was named by his co-offenders.

The court heard neither Boyle nor Donald-Hauler knew the victims.

Boyle had a criminal history scattered with numerous crimes, while Donald-Hauler did not have a criminal history.

Boyle’s lawyer told the court his client had been a daily meth user before going into custody and had come from a disadvantaged background that led to him leaving home and school early on.

The lawyer pushed for a straight jail sentence, saying, “He needs to push reset and get on with it”.

But Judge Gwynn said she was too concerned about Boyle’s drug addiction to not place him on a community corrections order.

He was sentenced to the 444 days’ jail he’d already served before the sentencing.

The court heard since being charged Boyle had moved to Bonnie Doon with his fiance, had a three-year-old child and was working as a full time labourer.

He was sentenced to a 12-month adjourned undertaking due to his “excellent rehabilitation prospects” after he previously pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault.