Promising young footballer jailed for carjacking, joyriding and attempted carjacking in one day

An 18-year-old who violently carjacked one man experiencing car troubles in Manunda, then tried the same crime with a knife on a 19-year-old woman returning home from work late at night, has been sentenced in Cairns District Court on three charges.

Enrico Miller-Grego was 18 when he committed a series of violent crimes in Cairns with another person, including a violent car jacking of a man who had stopped at the side of the road to investigate “car difficulties” outside Raintrees Shopping Centre.

An unsuspecting driver who stopped to check his car outside Raintrees Shopping Centre was violently carjacked by a teenager who tried the same crime on a young woman at knifepoint later that evening as she returned home from a night shift, a court has been told.

Enrico Gani Arthur Miller-Grego, 19, pleaded guilty in Cairns District Court to robbery in company, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and attempted armed robbery in company over a day of “wanton lawlessness” in August last year.

Miller-Grego, who was said to be a promising Australian rules football player in his younger teenage years, had been given few advantages in life, the court was told.

He was 18 when he committed the crimes.

Miller-Grego, 19, was arrested after a day of “wanton lawlessness” in August 2024 when he carjacked a man, joyrode through Cairns, then attempted to carjack a young woman later that night at knifepoint.

Judge Joshua Trevino KC sentenced Miller-Grego to three years’ jail, saying the community needed to be protected from the “danger you pose”, setting his parole release date at one-third of the sentence in recognition of his guilty plea, young age, extremely disadvantaged background and remorse.

Miller-Grego, who had already served nearly a year in prison on remand, will be released on parole on August 4, 2025.

The court was told the first robbery victim was a man who stopped to check his car before Miller-Grego and another person demanded his keys, with Miller-Grego pushing him over and stomping on his back before taking off in the man’s car.

“You took the car for a joyride through the streets of Cairns for several hours … it’s an example of brazen lawlessness,” Judge Trevino said.

Miller-Grego and his co-accused took a stolen car on a joyride through the street of Cairns for several hours, the court was told. Picture: QPS

“Later you pulled up in the stolen car where a 19-year-old woman was exiting her car, returning home from working a night shift, and you were brandishing a knife.”

Judge Trevino said Miller-Grego threatened to stab her.

“She screamed and managed to escape to the safety of her house … it’s fortunate that she managed to get inside her home because who knows what would have transpired had she not,” he said.

The woman called the police and Miller-Grego was arrested a short time later on August 4, 2024, the court was told.

“I accept that your offending lacked any real premeditation and was spontaneous, fuelled by your use of methylamphetamines … these were just two people going about their everyday lives and they were entitled to feel safe,” he said.

“It was wanton lawlessness of a very serious kind.”

Cairns District Court Judge Joshua Trevino sentenced Miller-Grego to three years’ prison. The teenager will be eligible for parole release in August 2025, after he has served 12 months, or one third of the sentence, which recognises his guilty plea and young age.

Defence barrister John Seccull described Miller-Grego’s early life as “incredibly tragic”, a sentiment echoed by Justice Trevino, who said Miller-Grego had “not enjoyed a safe and secure childhood” and had experienced violence.

“It’s clear you have not been afforded any real chance to live a stable life and you will have long-term challenges … you are 19 now, nearly 20, and you must take control of your own destiny,” Justice Trevino said.

He commended Miller-Grego for the courses he completed in prison on remand, including literacy, numeracy and family wellbeing.

Originally published as Promising young footballer jailed for carjacking, joyriding and attempted carjacking in one day