Brendan Jenkins: Ferntree Gully cannabis dealer attacked
A Ferntree Gully thug who claimed he was tough having “mates” with him when he attacked his dealer has been slammed by a Judge.
South East
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A thug who took “all his mates” with him to storm his weed dealer’s Ferntree Gully home and assaulted the man and his girlfriend has avoided jail.
Brendan Jenkins, 20, was sentenced to a 20-month community corrections order with 150 hours’ community work before the County Court on Wednesday, having pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated burglary, common assault and damaging property.
Jenkins took Jayden Boyle, Austin Donald-Hauler and another man with him when he rocked up to his victims’ Gaydon St home about dinner time on November 11, 2018.
A man came outside, and told Jenkins that if he had a problem, he could call him.
The court heard the man had previously dealt cannabis to Jenkins, and had been sending Jenkins abuse messages in the week before the incident.
Jenkins refused to leave the man’s property, saying, “You think you’re tough? I’ve got all my mates with me”.
Judge Carolene Gwynn told the court Jenkin’s statement was quite ironic.
“It is hardly tough to attend with three mates at someone else’s private residence,” the Judge said.
“It is in fact, quite cowardly.”
The man’s terrified partner then went outside to find the four thugs 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.
Jenkins then spat at the female victim as the group took off.
The following day he sent threats and abuse to the male victim.
Jenkins was arrested on November 22, 2018 when police found the knuckle dusters at his home.
The court heard he was using prescription drugs and cannabis at the time of the offending.
Judge Gwynn said it was concerning that Jenkins had acted in such a way over a “relatively minor slight”, but she accepted his immaturity had played a part.
It was heard the former Mountain District Learning Centre student had recently been employed as a picker and packer at Altamonte in Bayswater after previously doing bricklaying and furniture moving.
Judge Gwynn said Jenkins was now drug-free and appeared to be maturing, despite having shown little remorse or insight into his offending.
The Judge said youth was the main priority in sentencing Jenkins.
