Burglar jailed after sneaking through sleeping couple’s window

An ice-affected burglar who climbed through a sleeping couple’s bedroom window, dressed all in black with only his eyes showing, will spend time in jail after he sped away in their car.

A BURGLAR dressed all in black who woke a sleeping couple as he snuck through their bedroom window, before demanding their car keys at knifepoint, has been jailed for his “terrifying” crime.

Donny Jeremy Ray, 36, was in clothing that revealed only his eyes during the early morning burglary on October 13 last year, the Supreme Court of Tasmania heard this week.

After pulling out a knife with a 10cm blade and demanding the couple’s keys, the learner driver drove off in their car, passing a police divisional van that turned to follow him with its lights and sirens activated.

Ray sped from police at 100km/h in a 50km/h zone, trying to outdistance them before reaching a dead end.

Without any room on the road to pass the police van, he turned around and drove into the vehicle, in a collision that “no doubt shook” the two officers inside.

Chief Justice Alan Blow said the ice-affected burglar’s black clothing, which showed only his eyes, “made things worse” and the “experience more terrifying” for his victims.

Ray, who suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, aggravated carjacking, aggravated assault, two counts of unlawfully injuring property, evading police, speeding, driving as an unaccompanied learner, and using a controlled drug.

Chief Justice Blow noted he had been drug-free for months, had not applied for bail, was trying to manage his mental health problems and hoped to see his children after he was released from prison.

He jailed Ray for two years and 10 months, with a non-parole period of one year and five months.

Ray will also be ordered to pay compensation for damaging the couple’s car and the police divisional van.