Michelle Laing pleads guilty to helping ‘ambush’ burglary at Landsborough

A former aged care worker helped stage a violent home invasion after hearing claims of the victim saying one word.

Michelle Rhiannon Loraine Laing leaving Maroochydore District Court this week. Picture: Sam Turner

A former aged care worker and mother has admitted to helping to plan a “thuggish” ambush of a man after hearing claims the victim called her co-accused “a dog”.

The comments were the catalyst for the brutal armed home invasion orchestrated by Michelle Rhiannon Loraine Laing but allegedly carried out by her then co-accused.

She admitted to her role in the robbery after pleading guilty to burglary at night in company, robbery with violence and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company while armed at night in the Maroochydore District Court this week.

Crown prosecutor Sanaz Masoumi said the then 33-year-old and her co-accused knew the victim through mutual friends, who allegedly heard through another friend the victim had called him “a dog”.

After allegedly hearing this remark, Ms Masoumi said the pair allegedly “retaliated and conspired” to break into his home and steal drugs and cash from the man.

Texts were allegedly exchanged between the pair where they “discussed plans” to ambush the alleged victim.

Ms Masoumi said the first messages were sent three days before the break in on September 11, 2023.

“Wanna set him up for whatever he’s got and get him out of the house?,” the co-accused allegedly said.

“Yeah okay,” Laing replied.

Laing pleaded guilty. Picture: Sam Turner

The Crown prosecutor said the messages continued, where the co-accused allegedly wanted to get the victim out of the house as his unit was close to neighbours.

The now 35-year-old said the alleged victim lived by himself and they could use a “tactic”, to which the co-accused allegedly said he was “keen”.

Ms Masoumi told the court Laing agreed to help her co-accused, where she’d visit the victim’s home under false pretences to allegedly buy drugs.

It’s alleged Laing and the co-accused met at a park in Landsborough prior to the burglary, where they discussed the layout of his home. She also agreed to leave the front door unlocked for her co-accused after she scoped out the place.

The court heard Laing arrived at the victim’s home about 1.55am on September 15, 2023 before she messaged her co-accused: “ready, door unlocked … I’m gonna (sic) act innocent”.

The co-accused allegedly barged in armed with a gun and black baton, which he used to strike the victim in the arm.

He then allegedly asked Laing to scour the home for drugs and cash. She took meth, cigarettes, diazepam, and the keys to the man’s vehicle.

It’s then alleged the pair fled from the property where the co-accused was the driver and Laing the passenger, while the victim ran to a neighbours home who called an ambulance.

The court heard the vehicle was driven to bushland at Yandina where the Bli Bli woman was picked up by friends however the co-accused allegedly refused to go with her.

She was interviewed by police days later where she made admissions including being high on ice at the time, how she felt “frightened” at the home invasion and how it “grew out of control” when it was initially going to be done to scare the victim.

Laing told police she merely did “what she was told” after the co-accused allegedly barged in.

She was charged and released on bail. She appeared in court on Monday.

She left the court on bail. Picture: Sam Turner

Ms Masoumi said it was accepted Laing had no knowledge her co-accused would be armed but she did not withdraw when the burglary erupted.

The Crown prosecutor said it would’ve been an “undeniably” frightening experience for the man who was the victim of a planned “ambush”, and referred to it as “thuggish”.

Defence barrister Nathan Turner said the former aged care worker and enrolled nurse had battled with drug addiction, which led to her losing her work, family and housing. He contended Laing suffered from certain mental health conditions which contributed to a degree to some of the offending. She has since completed residential rehab.

Mr Turner said Laing made considerable admissions to police where they had “little to no evidence” on her for the burglary and alleged her co-accused was the primary offender.

What was the source of discussion during the sentencing hearing were concerns by the prosecution about the absence of supporting evidence to back certain claims in her medical history and defence reports.

Judge Gary Long adjourned the sentence to allow this to happen by defence and listed the matter to be part heard later this month.

Originally published as Michelle Laing pleads guilty to helping ‘ambush’ burglary at Landsborough