Eric Lawson and his daughter Lylley Lawson’s rampage has been heard at Melbourne Koori Court

A father turned his 20-year-old daughter into his accomplice on a hair-raising journey across Melbourne’s northern suburbs, which included terrorising an elderly Reservoir couple.

Lylley Lawson, 21, of Mildura, pleaded guilty to multiple charges at Melbourne Koori Court on August 22, 2023.

A father and daughter duo terrorised an elderly Reservoir couple during a wild rampage across Melbourne’s northern suburbs that left behind them a trail of destruction.

In the space of just one day the pair committed two car jackings, an armed burglary, trespass, theft, and assaulted police, all while being followed by the police air wing through Bundoora, Thomastown, Reservoir and Preston in February last year.

The father and daughter, Eric Lawson, aged 37, and Lylley Lawson, 20, terrorised the couple by holding the elderly man at knifepoint and stealing keys to the couple’s Mazda.

Lylley Lawson, now 21, of Mildura, pleaded guilty to multiple charges at Melbourne Koori Court on August 22, 2023.

The elderly couple had recently returned home when they noticed the two enter their backyard.

The duo was one the run from police, having split up from an accomplice and dumped a car in a parking lot and fled on foot.

The Lawsons implored the elderly couple for “help” while simultaneously robbing them and grabbing the car keys.

The father and daughter also damaged the couple’s home by reversing the car out of the garage before the roller door was fully up.

Eric Lawson was sentenced last November to six years and seven months behind bars for his part in the crime spree.

His daughter Lylley appeared at the Melbourne Koori Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to multiple charges arising from that day and a victim impact statement from the elderly couple was read to her.

The couple said they had become wary of strangers, found it difficult to sleep and became anxious about leaving their home and socialising with others.

Lylley Lawson said she regretted what had happened and would not want anybody to treat her elderly relatives that way.

“I was on drugs but I can’t blame drugs,” she said.

The court was told that Eric Lawson drove the elderly couple’s car, narrowly missing a police officer on the street outside the home, and then reversed into a police car which had to be towed away.

He drove through Reservoir, Campbellfield and Preston, crossing to the wrong side of the road multiple times, through red traffic lights, mounting curbs and driving over nature strips even though he was not being chased.

Many pedestrians and other vehicles had to jump out of the way or swerve to avoid being hit.

Eric Lawson dumped the Mazda in the Northland Shopping Centre underground car park and committed another carjacking by grabbing a 78-year-old man out of the driver’s seat of second Mazda vehicle and throwing him to the ground

He and his daughter drove away in the man’s car and the police air wing continued to follow the pair as they drove through Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Thornbury.

Eventually they crashed into a parked vehicle at Ascot Vale and police arrested the pair at the scene after a short scuffle.

A defence lawyer who represented Lylley Lawson said her client had believed she was going to attend a funeral with her father in Melbourne but instead became caught up in his crime spree.

She said Lylley lived in Mildura and was eager to spend time with her father who had only recently been released from custody at that time.

“Once it started it could only stop with police intervention,” she said.

Judge Scott Johns said he would adjourn the case until September for a further plea hearing.