Daniel Haven, Patrick Iualualo: Men catch Uber to violent Carrum Downs home invasion
Full of booze and drugs, two goons hatched the “hardly sophisticated” plan to call an Uber and subject a family to a horrific home invasion.
South East
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Two men took an Uber to a Carrum Downs property where they terrified a family in a violent home invasion during a four-day drug and alcohol bender.
Daniel Heaven, 32 and Patrick Iualualo, 28 pleaded guilty to home invasion and common assault charges in the County Court over the October 2020 incident.
The court heard the two men decided to carry out the home invasion which led to the assault and injury of the Betteridge family, after drug and booze bender.
In a move Judge Paul Lacava described as “hardly sophisticated”, the men travelled to the property via Uber in the middle of the night.
Heaven, who was wearing a face covering, and Iualualo, who was armed with a butane gas torch, then attempted to kick in the security door.
The noise woke a woman, who then woke her husband and their son.
The loud noises woke surrounding neighbours, one of whom saw the three men enter the property and then leave a short time later.
Statements made by the victims described the family being left traumatised after the event.
“I still wake at every noise,” one statement says.
“I can’t be in the home unless all the security doors are locked.”
Another victim’s statement showed they suffered trust issues and had trouble sleeping
“I don’t feel safe going to new places where I feel like I could be at risk of something happening. I am only just trying to return to my normal life.”
It was not revealed why the men chose that particular house.
A third man has also been charged with aggravated burglary following the incident.
The three men will return to court at a later date.