Menace James Dosser jailed for $440,000 Yarra Valley crime spree destruction

A teen terror wreaked havoc at 11 properties, including Wandin Park horse riding academy. Now, he has paid the price.

Wandin Park owner William Anker in the aftermath of damaged caused by toerag James Dosser. Picture: Stuart Milligan.

An out-of-control teen has wreaked havoc at businesses and homes across the Yarra Valley, causing his victims almost $440,000 in damages and theft.

James Dosser, 21, was sentenced in the County Court to six months’ jail after pleading guilty to 19 charges including criminal damage and an act of cruelty upon an animal.

Dosser caused chaos at 11 Yarra Valley properties between December 11, 2016 and November 15, 2018, damaging and destroying property and committing thefts.

He and a friend caused the owners of Wood Chopper Cider to suffer $265,759 in loss and repair bills when they trashed the Gruyere premises, releasing 36,000 litres of cider from the tanks.

The pair broke into the cidery’s sheds in October 2017, forcing the locks and cutting the sheet metal, then punctured the cider tanks and turned the taps on, draining an entire season’s harvest of cider.

The flowing cider extensively damaged the company’s machinery and killed 40 apple trees growing down the hill.

Dosser and a mate trashed horse riding venue Wandin Park in May 2018, causing $22,791 damage and driving into and killing a large kangaroo.

Some of Dosser’s destruction at Wandin Park.

They stole a ute from the property, which they used to crash through fences and structures and do burnouts and donuts, tearing up the grass and dressage arena.

Wandin Park Estate owner William Anker told the Leader back in 2018 that his family were gutted at what had been done.

“They’ve mowed down a kangaroo,” he said.

“That’s the mentality of these people.”

Dosser was alone when he caused almost $32,000 damage to a Gruyere house in December 2016, cutting the power and disabling the alarm before bashing his way in.

He used a hammer to smash the CCTV cameras and the plaster walls and tried to flood the house by turning on a bathroom tap and blocking the drain.

Dosser and a friend then trashed earth-moving vehicles at a Dixons Creek construction site in February 2017.

The pair first used the vehicles to gouge the earth and damage a water catchment, knock over trees and smash concrete pipes.

Dosser left a trail of destruction.

The Gruyere man also stole other vehicles and destroyed sheds and fences, causing a total of $437,825.31 of damage and loss.

Judge Robert Dyer said there were many people who had been greatly affected by Dosser’s “very serious” crimes.

Dosser admitted to all of the crimes when he was arrested on November 30, 2018, providing detailed accounts of each incident.

The court heard a psychologist had assessed Dosser as suffering from “considerable immaturity” at the time.

It was heard he had no prior convictions, had not offended while on bail and had a good work history as a machine operator and repairer and a supportive girlfriend.

Judge Dyer said he had taken into account Dosser’s early plea, previous good character and the fact he was a child for the first two incidents.

Judge Dyer said he had also moderated Dosser’s jail sentence due to his father’s poor health.

Dosser was handed a two-year community correction order with 200 hours of unpaid community work and fined $1500.