Tyler Russell Wood: Lara man pleads guilty over bogus calls, sexual assaults

A Lara father behaving as a “predator” made hundreds of calls to lure emergency services in order to source drugs and sexually assault paramedics, a court has heard.

Tyler Wood. Picture: Facebook

A Lara man was behaving like a “predator” when he made hundreds of calls to lure emergency services in order to source drugs and sexually assault paramedics, a court has heard.

Tyler Russell Wood, 34, appeared in the County Court in Geelong on Thursday, and pleaded guilty to seven charges – one count of using a carriage service to harass, four counts of sexual assault and one each of threatening to commit a sexual offence and threatening an emergency worker.

The court heard between February 2, 2022 and December 11, 2023, the Lara man made 215 calls to emergency services requesting ambulance assistance, at a cost to taxpayers of more than $320,000.

Wood made the “bogus” to source opiates, and on multiple occasions sexually assaulted female paramedics.

Before the plea hearing began, Wood’s lawyer, barrister Matthew Page, made an application to send the case back to the Magistrates Court.

Judge Gavan Meredith rejected the application, but noted the case was “not without its complexity and difficulty”.

Mr Page argued the brief had gone from 23 charges to seven after negotiations with the prosecution, which was enough of a “significant change” to justify the matter being sent back downstairs for sentence.

Judge Meredith noted it was “not a straightforward, walk-in-the park case” but told the court it was “commonplace” for the number of charges to be reduced during negotiations.

However, he accepted “for the sake of argument” that it was significant change – but still did not believe a lower court was a suitable place for it.

The court heard the assaults themselves were on the “lower end” of the scale, but they took on a “different flavour” in the broader context.

Wood’s persistence, the regularity of the calls, the length of offending, the fact the victims were emergency workers simply doing their job, and the fact that Wood was on a community corrections order for much of the time span, aggravated the offending, the court heard.

Judge Meredith said while there was no evidence the calls directly put those making genuine calls in danger, Wood was placing “increased strain” on emergency services by diverting paramedics.

Prosecutor Andrew Grant opposed sending the matter downstairs, telling the court the Crown made “no concessions” during negotiation that reduced the gravity of offending, and despite there being less charges, the matter was no less complex.

The court heard the prosecution’s summary of Wood’s offending was 20 pages long.

Mr Grant described Wood’s behaviour as “predatory” and “premeditated”, as Wood used the emergency service network to “lure the potential victims to his location”.

Mr Grant argued the Magistrates Court would be “constrained” in sentencing Wood.

Judge Meredith ultimately sided with the prosecution and the plea went ahead.

Originally published as Tyler Russell Wood: Lara man pleads guilty over bogus calls, sexual assaults