Men chased by group of thugs, dodge knife by 10cm during terrifying Cranbourne North attack
Two men were lucky not to avoid a knife attack after a group of thugs chased them down the road as they were walking home at Cranbourne North. And you’ll never believe where police found one of the cowardly attackers.
South East
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A knife was hurled at a man as he ran for his life during a terrifying attempted robbery at Cranbourne North, a court has heard.
And of the young thugs who took part in the late night hit, Lachlan Tre-Weekane, could be out of jail in as little as two weeks after he was sentenced on Tuesday.
It comes after the victim was lucky not to be slashed by the flying blade after he and a friend were followed by a group of up to four men as they walked home toward Rossiter Retreat about 2.30am on July 17.
The Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard the group was travelling in a black station wagon with windows open when the driver sped past the victims and yelled for them to hand over their bags.
The car then mounted the kerb as between three and four men, all aged in their 20s, jumped out and confronted the pair.
“(The victims) ran away in fear,” the prosecution said.
A knife with a 10cm blade missed one victim’s head by just centimetres and smashed the tail-light of a nearby car as it was thrown at him by an attacker as he ran.
Just 20 minutes later, a Rossiter Retreat resident was woken by the sound of a loud bang and watched the black car drive off with a trailer belonging to one of her neighbours.
The woman raised the alarm with police catching up with the thugs near Clyde-Five Ways Rd just after 3am.
Tre-Weekane, 22, was hiding in a wardrobe inside a nearby house after walking inside and asking the stunned residents for help.
“ (Tre-Weekane) repeatedly asked the couple not to call police,” the prosecution said.
Two more offenders were arrested with police discovering a number of power tools as well as a screwdriver and multi-tool window breaker inside the car.
Tre-Weekane told police the trailer was already attached to the station wagon and that he was supposed to be dropped to his Clyde home before the attack but the driver missed a turn to his street.
He pleaded guilty to five crimes on Tuesday including attempted robbery and theft.
The 22-year-old’s lawyer said his client had “descended into more criminal activity” by associating with a group which was well known to police.
He said Tre-Weekane also developed a drug problem as well as post traumatic stress disorder following a serious motorbike accident when he was 18 years old.
“He had a very tumultuous childhood and throughout school life (had) learning difficulties and trouble with authority,” the defence said.
But Tre-Weekane told Magistrate Julian Ayres he wanted to stay away from the offending group and was hoping to get a plumbing job with a friend who was “clean” after his release from custody.
He also intends to move into a new home with his mother and new girlfriend at Cranbourne.
“You’re going to be able to do less than you could legally (when you are released) while this pandemic exists … the temptation exists that you want to do something remotely interesting and you’ll contact people possibly stealing, threatening or engaging in similar criminal conduct because it’s even more likely when people are bored,” he told Tre-Weekane.
“You’re going to have to be very careful (as to) what you get up to after your release.”
Tre-Weekane, who has already served 46 days behind bars, was convicted and sentenced to three months in jail.
Mr Ayres said he could be released next week with emergency management credit, which can allow prisoners to have time deducted from their sentence for the time served in isolation.