Belgrave home invasion: Scott Larkins jailed for raiding home with Luke Fitzgerald
A boozed up crook and his jealous mate stormed a Belgrave home with plans to bash a man suspected of sleeping with the mate’s ex but their scheme fell apart after one particularly dumb move put them face-to-face with a cop and his dog.
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A drunk crook and his jealous mate stormed a Belgrave home because they wanted to bash a man they thought was sleeping with the mate’s ex-girlfriend, a court has heard.
Upwey High dropout Scott Larkins and his mate Luke Fitzgerald plotted their crime while sinking beers at Belgrave bar Zuke’s Place late on July 13, 2018.
Fitzgerald had a bee in his bonnet because he thought an associate, Joshua O’Connell, was sleeping with Fitzgerald’s ex-girlfriend.
Larkins “fired up” Fitzgerald at the bar before the pair caught a taxi to O’Connell’s home.
The pair arrived about 3am but O’Connell had left with his dogs after he received a tip-off.
O’Connell’s female flatmate was home alone when the pair stormed the house.
The menaces told the victim to go back to sleep.
The pair stole a laptop and guitar before fleeing the house via a dirt track.
However, they went back after they realised they had left fingerprints “all over” the house.
They ran back but were confronted by a policeman with a torch and a dog at the scene.
Fitzgerald did a runner but Larkins gave up almost instantly.
He ran a short distance up a hill before lying facedown with his hands behind his back.
Fitzgerald was tracked down by a police dog shortly after.
Fitzgerald told police they were both “pretty drunk”and the home invasion was a “stupid choice”.
Larkins, 26, was sentenced at the County Court on January 30 to nine months’ jail after he was found guilty of home invasion.
The court heard Larkins had been drinking “excessive quantities” of alcohol nine out of 10 days since he was 18.
Larkins was seriously injured in 2006 after he was wrapped in industrial glad wrap by schoolmates and rolled off a 1.25m drop onto concrete.
Judge Rachelle Lewitan said the victim – who told a jury she felt “scared and confused” – was subjected to “considerable suffering”.
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Judge Lewitan also took into account Larkins’ “relevant” criminal history which included priors for burglary and theft.
Larkins – who pleaded guilty to theft and drug possession – was also ordered to complete an 18-month community correction order.
Fitzgerald was sentenced in the County Court last March to 12 months’ jail and a two year community corrections order after he pleaded guilty to making threats to kill, stalking and home invasion.