Teen sentenced for violent home invasion of Toowoomba man and pregnant wife

A heavily pregnant woman, whose husband was badly injured during a home invasion, was scared she would lose their unborn child due to the stress caused when a teen armed with a gun broke into their Toowoomba home.

.22 Sawn-off rifle, Toowoomba. Picture: File / QPS

Despite the wishes of police, a teenager has been released from detention after pleading guilty to committing a violent home invasion while high on ice and armed with a loaded sawn-off rifle at Toowoomba in 2023.

The “traumatic” home invasion where two offenders broke into the Meringandan West home on October 16, was the third violent robbery to the child’s name.

The Darling Downs teenager’s criminal history included 13 burglaries, 10 stolen cars, five drug offences, and an assault occasioning injury.

The 18-year-old was sentenced before the Childrens Court of Queensland in Toowoomba on Monday, August 19, after spending more than nine months in detention – 294 days.

The court heard when the then 17-year-old broke into a Toowoomba couple’s home, who were weeks away from expecting their first child, he was on a probation order and a good behaviour order.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald said the young man’s criminal behaviour was escalating and the only appropriate order was further time in detention to ensure the protection of the community.

She said during the home invasion at Meringandan West at 2am, the teenager was not only armed with a loaded sawn-off .22 rifle, but he showed he was willing to use it after being confronted by the resident.

The court heard a man, who was sleeping with his heavily pregnant wife, woke about 2am to find a man rifling through his wife’s bag, chasing and tackling the co-offender to the ground.

The teen ran to the co-offender’s aid, smashing a wooden chair over the man’s head with such force, that he began “bleeding heavily” from a large gash on his head.

The court heard the victim turned his attention to the teen who had armed himself with a shard of wood.

“I’ll shoot you,” the teen warned before asking the co-offender to get the loaded gun they’d left leaning on a wall in a different room.

The pair fled the property without stealing anything, leaving the gun behind.

Fears for unborn child

The man was transferred to hospital where his “significant” gash was stapled nine times, and his wife was also taken to the hospital for precaution.

The court heard in the weeks following the incident, the pair was concerned about their unborn child’s health given the stress and trauma of the incident.

Ms Friedewald said a victim impact statement showed the couple was robbed of the joy of the final weeks of the pregnancy, noting the pair had visitors stay at the home for seven days so they could get to sleep.

She noted the husband said since the incident he no longer saw the best in others and was always on high alert.

Ms Friedewald said following the home invasion the teen was callous, as messages showed he bragged about the incident, sent news articles to friends, and suggested there would be further harm to the couple.

She said police also found messages where the teen attempted to sell 1.7g of meth and 7g of cannabis.

The teenager who was armed with the .22 caliber rifle appeared at Toowoomba District Court on Monday, July 8, and pleaded guilty to the violent home invasion that occurred on October 16, 2023.

Last chance

Barrister Nathan Edridge, instructed by Skuse Graham Criminal Lawyers managing partner Claire Graham, conceded the crime was very serious and aggravated by a number of circumstances.

He however erred against a jail term in favour of a conditional release order.

Mr Edridge said the young man, who had a promising sporting career ahead if he stayed away from methamphetamine, had a litany of family and community support in his corner.

He said the remorseful and ashamed teen was an “exceptional young man” in his own right.

In almost every chair in the public gallery sat people known to the teen, from family and friends keen to help the young man stay on the right path and free of drugs.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC said the teen’s youth remained a significant factor in his sentence before the children’s court, warning him teen in the further he would no longer get that benefit.

He told the “very gifted” young man his adult life was “filled with promise” and he would not “burden” his future by recording a conviction.

Judge Horneman-Wren said he sentenced the teen on the basis he did not intend to use the gun, was remorseful, and was willing to engage with a supervision order addressing his addiction.

The teen was sentenced to two years in detention, immediately suspended, and a six-month conditional release order after previously entering pleas of guilty to robbery while armed with violence, possession of a firearm, and two charges of drug supply in July 2024.

No conviction was recorded.