Jaedrix Wurramara jailed for armed raid on GEMCO mine that cost company $8.9m lost revenue

A young Groote Eylandt man has been jailed for his role in an armed raid on a manganese mine that saw two workers assaulted, 50 workers threatened, and led to a shutdown that cost millions.

Groote Eylandt defendant Jaedrix Wurramara, 21. Picture: Facebook

A young Groote Eylandt man has been jailed for his role in an armed raid on a manganese mine that saw two workers assaulted, 50 workers threatened, and led to a shutdown that cost millions in lost revenue.

Angurugu man Jaedrix Wurramara, 21, pleaded guilty to seven serious offences relating to his attack on the GEMCO mine, aggravated by his being company with four youth offenders, in the early hours of September 30 last year.

His offending included aggravated assault, recklessly endangering serious harm, confining a pair of workers against their will, stealing, damaging a pair of vehicles, and entering a building with intent to steal.

Wurramara, whose mother works at GEMCO in land rehabilitation, was sentenced in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin on September 18.

The court heard the five co-defendants hatched a plan about 11pm to steal a vehicle from the GEMCO mine.

Wurramara was armed with an axe, and the other co-defendants various other makeshift weapons.

The GEMCO manganese mine lost millions in revenue due to the shutdown caused by the attack on its staff and operations. Picture: File

The group gained entry to the mine site by cutting open a gate with Wurramara’s axe, before they unsuccessfully attempted to steal a trio of vehicles, the court heard.

Inside the secure area of the mine, Wurramara approached an office and threw a metal pry bar at an employee, shattering the window and striking the man in the chest, piercing his skin and causing immediate pain and bruising.

The group then approached two workers, who were on their break, and a co-defendant threw a large metal bolt at one of the employees.

It missed but struck a nearby window, spraying shards of glass in the eyes, mouth and hair of one of the two employees as they took shelter in a locker room.

The group then used their weapons in an attempt to bash down the doors of the locker room, while the two petrified employees sheltered inside.

Wurramara was sentenced in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin on September 18, 2024. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

They were stuck inside the locker room for about an hour, the court heard.

Wurramara was arrested early the following month, remaining on remand between then and last week’s sentencing hearing.

Justice Judith Kelly told the court the violence caused “extreme” financial loss, both to GEMCO and the Anindilyakwa people.

The mine shutdown sacrificed $8.9m in lost revenue; the property damage cost $106,900 to repair; the NT Government lost about $800,000 a day in royalties; the Anindilyakwa Land Council lost about $100,000 a day; and the Groote Eylandt Aboriginal Trust lost about $100,000 in royalties.

In a victim impact statement, GEMCO’s vice president for operations told the court the “emotional and psychological effects on their workers is still ongoing”.

“Over 50 of our workforce members were threatened and terrorised … with the majority of those seeking support from our employee assistance program,” he said.

Wurramara, who had relevant convictions for unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful entry, aggravated assault and going armed in public, breached the conditions of a previously imposed bail order, and good-behaviour bond, with the current offending, the court was told.

Justice Kelly sentenced Wurramara to three years and six months’ imprisonment, backdated to October 19 last year, with the sentence to be suspended after 18 months had been served.

The suspension, which will have an operational period of two years and six months, is conditional upon Wurramara submitting to the supervision of a Probation and Parole officer, and abstaining from alcohol.