Man jailed for attacking couple sleeping in cafe after break-in

A gang member, who attacked a cafe manager and her partner who were sleeping on the premises to protect it from burglars following a break-in the night before, has been sentenced

The manager of Nightcliff’s Groove Cafe was sleeping inside to protect it from burglars when it was again broken into last year. Picture: Keri Megelus

A gang member who attacked a cafe manager and her partner who were sleeping on the premises to protect it from burglars following a break-in the night before has been jailed for almost four years.

Leo Durilla, 34, pleaded guilty in the Darwin Supreme Court to burglary and armed robbery following the terrifying break-in in February last year.

The court heard Durilla was one of at least four people who forced the roller door of Nightcliff’s Groove Cafe and climbed through a hole in the glass window at about 5am on February 27.

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The manager’s partner shouted at the prowlers to leave while the woman called the police but they were undeterred saying “There’s only one, let’s go”.

A scuffle ensued as the man tried to hold the intruders back and one of them managed to slip past him to pick up a bottle of spirits and walked out.

It was then co-offender Rixon Wurramara (who was earlier jailed for four years for his role in the robbery) threw a jewellery display case at the couple and the man again tried to push him out the door.

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Durilla then raised a bottle of grog above his head to threaten the man with it while demanding more alcohol and after the man gave Durilla a bottle of wine “to de-escalate the situation”, Wurramara threw various items at the woman, hitting her in the face.

“(Wurramara) was standing less than a metre from the male victim and picked up a hard plastic box containing glass bottles of scented oils,” Justice Peter Barr said.

“With two hands, he threw the box with full force at the head of the male victim, striking him to the side of the face.

“He was angry, that man, and he was in shock, he suffered pain from the blow to this head and from the oil in his eyes.”

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In sentencing Durilla to three years and nine months’ jail, Justice Barr said the group caused $1290.05 cents worth of damage to the cafe and made off with $111 in alcohol.

“During the robbery, the female victim stood to the side, trying to avoid the melee,” he said.

“She witnessed the male victim being attacked, she was hit in the face by one of the objects which Rixon Wurramara threw at her, and throughout the ordeal, she was terrified for herself and her partner.”

Durilla will be eligible for parole in May 2021.