William Manuhu and Ali Fadel Fahad: Co-offenders in Varsity Lakes break-in sentenced

Three men involved in a Varsity Lakes break-in last year, including a soccer player and a grocery store owner, have walked from court smiling. Read what happened here.

Ali Fadel Fahad (left) and William Manuhu (right) were sentenced for their involvement in a break-in at a Varsity Lakes home. Picture: Emily Walker

Two men involved in a group’s break-in of a Varsity Lakes home have walked from court smiling, just days after a co-offender walked from court.

William Manuhu, 29, and Ali Fadel Fahad, 25, were sentenced at the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday for their involvement in a break-in at a Varsity Lakes home on November 11, 2024.

Manuhu, Fahad, Nikola Kataric, 32, and another man all entered the front yard of the Gold Coast home around 8pm by breaking a fence panel.

The group approached the back door of the home with Kataric pulling the flyscreen of the door with his hands before one of the unnamed co-accused allegedly smashed the glass door to gain entry.

The occupants of the home approached the door, during which the group of men began yelling at them. They then forced entry through the smashed door.

At Manuhu’s sentencing, the court heard one of the victims barricaded themselves within the dwelling before they escaped from the home with another occupant, running into the street for help.

Kataric, Manuhu, Fahad and the unnamed man left the scene before Manuhu was able to be identified from CCTV footage.

Police executed a search warrant at Manuhu’s home where they found a number of one millilitre vials labelled “testosterone injectables” and two vials of steroids.

Two boxes with injectables were found in a bedroom at the property.

Nikola Kataric was sentenced on Thursday. Picture: Emily Walker

The court heard Manuhu told police his mate had left them there a few months ago but couldn’t give any further details.

On Tuesday, Fahad and Manuhu both pleaded guilty to one count of enter dwelling with intent to commit an indictable offence by break in the night and one count of wilful damage.

Manuhu also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drug.

Fahad and Manuhu’s co-accused Kataric was sentenced on Thursday to 31 days imprisonment with time he had previously served in custody taken into account as time already served.

Kataric had pleaded guilty to wilful damage, possess dangerous drug and enter dwelling with intent to commit an indictable offence by break in the night whilst in company.

William Manuhu

Manuhu leaving Southport Courthouse. Picture: Emily Walker

Manuhu’s defence lawyer Kris Jahnke from Jahnke Lawyers asked for the same sentence for his client, who has a similar criminal history as Kataric.

The court heard he had served 220 days in pre-sentence custody and missed the birth of his second child as a result.

Mr Jahnke told the court this time in custody had a significant impact on Manuhu.

He told the court Manuhu, now released from custody, had plans to return to work at a warehouse and his music hobby.

Mr Jahnke told the court his client became involved in the group of men as there was a commercial dispute between Manuhu’s associates and one of the occupants of the Varsity Lakes home over a commercial dispute involving a debt allegedly owed for work performed.

He said the group went to the house to confront that person and a gesture was made towards the group from inside the house, prompting the group’s foolish decision to go into the house.

Magistrate Brunello said the break-in charge was very serious.

“The Queensland community and the court that represents it considers it abhorrent that people invade the sanctity of other people’s homes,” he said.

He noted Manuhu has served, in his view, significantly more than the minimum term and he had suffered significantly for an extended period.

Manuhu was convicted and not further punished for his charges.

Ali Fadel Fahad

Fahad leaving the Southport Courthouse. Picture: Emily Walker

Later in the same court, Fahad’s lawyer Daniel Hannay from Hannay Lawyers supported the suggestion his client serve a wholly suspended sentence.

The court heard Fahad, who only served a night in pre-sentence custody, had finished serving parole for a violent crime just months before the break-in.

Mr Hannay said the break-in happened after there was a dispute with some money allegedly owed from a commercial agreement.

“There was some argy-bargy … [the group] enter the house and ultimately it was all over in a few minutes,” he said. “I’m not playing that down. Of course, that’s why we’re here and that’s why we’re pleading guilty.”

He said his client has since had a third child and started to co-own a grocery store in January 2025.

Mr Brunello told Fahad the sort of vigilante action described was very serious and could have unintended consequences.

He said he was prepared to infer that Fahad was sorry in a real and genuine way but noted he had appeared in the District Court twice over a 10-year period.

Fahad was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with a parole release set for that day.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as William Manuhu and Ali Fadel Fahad: Co-offenders in Varsity Lakes break-in sentenced