Troy Dowling: Darwin burglar jailed for thefts, aggravated assault, breach of suspended sentence
A Darwin man who can’t keep his hands off other people’s property is set for a long stint in jail after his final outstanding matter currently before the Local Court was finalised.
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A Darwin methamphetamine addict who can’t keep his hands off other people’s property is set for a long stint in jail after his final outstanding matter currently before the Local Court was finalised.
Updated: Troy Jerome John Dowling, 34, has been in custody since October 18 last year.
He was arrested after an ex-partner was able to identify CCTV of Dowling and two offenders breaking into a residence at Lee Point Rd, Moil, on August 5, 2023, and clearing the property of cash, tools, electronics, and fishing gear.
The court previously heard Dowling’s victim was a friend of his whom he had shared a beer with several hours before taking him to the cleaners.
In February, he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary of a dwelling, theft, and damage to property, but his sentencing was delayed due to complications caused by a suspended sentence Dowling was in breach of.
Dowling subsequently pleaded guilty on July 5 to a charge of aggravated assault.
All told, he was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment – taking into account the burglary, the aggravated assault and the breach of suspended sentence – with a non-parole period of 14 months, backdated to October 18, 2023.
His fate was confirmed on July 17, when the Crown dropped additional, unrelated charges against Dowling of damage to property, trespass and aggravated burglary.
Dowling’s lawyer had previously told the court his client wished to enter into residential rehabilitation upon his release from custody in order to kick his ice habit.
Burglar takes mate for a beer, then takes him to the cleaners
February 26: An ice-addicted Darwin man with an appalling criminal history had a beer with his mate, then, later that day, cleaned out his friend’s house alongside two unknown accomplices, a court has heard.
Troy Jerome John Dowling, 34, appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday via videolink from custody, where he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary of a dwelling, theft, and damage to property.
The court was told the offences were committed on September 14 last year at a residence on Lee Point Rd at Moil.
On the day in question, Dowling, who the court heard was “in the grips of an ice addiction,” had a beer with his victim, before returning to the residence later alongside two accomplices.
Dowling and one of his co-offenders kicked in the door of the residence, while the third co-offender used a broomstick to smash the CCTV camera above the door, which nevertheless captured clear images of the defendant.
Once inside the residence, Dowling and a co-offender cleared the property, pilfering $200 cash, five fishing rods, a camera, vacuum pump, and tools including a laser level, bolt chainsaw, and a spanner set.
Dowling was identified and arrested on October 18 after his ex-partner provided an identity statement.
Only the laser level was recovered.
The offending was committed in breach of a suspended sentence, with Dowling’s defence lawyer estimating his client had about eight months’ imprisonment outstanding at the time of his arrest.
The court heard Dowling had 11 prior convictions for offending of a similar nature.
It was submitted Dowling was immediately remorseful for his offending, texting his friend shortly afterwards, “Hey my brother, I’m f---ing terribly embarrassed I feel like killing myself, [there’s] nothing in this world I can do to make it up to you.”
The court was told Dowling was born in Alice Springs but was predominantly raised by grandparents in Darwin.
He left school at a young age but had a good work history, predominantly as a civil pipelayer, during the time he was not incarcerated.
The court heard Dowling had expressed a desire to enter into residential rehabilitation upon his release from custody in order to kick his ice habit.
Judge Ben O’Loughlin deferred his decision on sentence to March 12 in order to calculate exactly how much time Dowling had outstanding on his suspended sentence.
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