‘Wanted to fight’: Trio accused of terrorising Melbourne family during break in, court told
One of three men who allegedly stormed a Melbourne family’s home in the middle of the night just “wanted to fight”, a court has been told.
One of three men accused of storming a suburban Melbourne home in the dead of the night and terrorising the family inside claimed he just “wanted to fight”, a court has been told.
Patrick Iaulualo was allegedly armed with a butane gas torch when he and co-accused Daniel Heaven kicked a door down at the Carrum Downs home in October 2020.
The duo, along with co-accused Jacques Dalais, who has pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary, appeared via video link in the County Court on Thursday.
The prosecution read a summary of events in court that detailed how a petrified woman inside the Carrum Downs home alerted her husband and son after spotting the men on their porch.
Her husband armed himself with a baseball bat and confronted the offenders in the hallway, asking: “What do you want?”
“I want to fight,” it is alleged Iaulualo replied.
It is alleged the man then tried to fight off the trio with his baseball bat, forcing them to retreat outside where Mr Dalais was allegedly waiting on the porch.
But then all three didn’t leave, instead allegedly forcing their way back in, the court was told.
Police claim Iaulualo was in a “fighting stance” as he and Heaven continued to assault the father.
Heaven also hit the man’s son over the head with the butane gas torch, knocking him to the ground, the court was told.
The prosecution alleges neighbours described hearing “loud screaming” coming from the home during the two-minute ordeal.
The men then fled the scene, with another neighbour describing seeing three men running down the street.
Police will allege a butane gas torch was located at the property. The trio were arrested several weeks later.
Mr Dalais, who had previously pleaded guilty, changed his plea to not guilty. He intends to fight one charge of aggravated burglary.
Heaven pleaded guilty to several offences, including home invasion, two counts of common law assault and cocaine possession. Iaulualo pleaded guilty to home invasion and common law assault.
Police claim the trio were not known to the family but that a friend of Iaulualo’s had been “having difficulties” with the man at the Carrum Downs home.
Lawyers for the men told the court that there was little premeditation.
But Judge Paul Lacava rejected that submission, highlighting that they booked an Uber to take them to the property before catching that same Uber afterwards.
“They booked an Uber to the destination … to that extent it was planned,” he told the court.
“It’s hardly a sophisticated way to go to a crime scene.”
The mother who was inside when her husband and son were assaulted issued a harrowing victim impact statement that described the event as the “most traumatic experience of my life”.
“Every noise I hear … I am on alert,” she said.
Mr Dalais’ matter will return to court on April 27.
Heaven and Iaulualo will front the County Court for sentencing at a later date.