4 days ago
Four Sydney teenagers sentenced after 2024 violent home invasion in Canberra
One of four young Sydney men involved in a violent home invasion in Canberra last year told police he thought he was going on a camping trip.
The four have been sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court today for aggravated burglary, intentionally causing grievous bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm, after they went into the home stabbing a woman four times and attacking her partner.
The victims said the offenders were yelling, "Where is the money, where is the money?"
The woman said she screamed: "There's nothing here".
The group then fled, leaving the victims with serious injuries.
Both were rushed to hospital.
Police gradually identified members of the group which included 19-year-olds Lytrell Eneliko, Jacob Crichton and Raven Pauga, and a 17-year-old boy.
One of the men was linked to a car leased to a family member, and there was CCTV footage both from the home and a fast-food outlet, with forensic evidence identifying DNA from one of the offenders on wrappers dumped near the scene of the crime.
Police were also able to identify one victim because he was wearing part of a school uniform.
Acting Justice Rebecca Christensen said no clear motive had been established for the crime, although police believed it could have been drug debt related.
All four pleaded guilty.
The court heard Raven Pauga told an undercover police officer:
"S*** went south.
"We just said f**k it.
"We all agreed to do it."
Acting Justice Christensen said the motive may not have been clear, but it was a "pre-meditated, targeted entry".
"The number of offenders is particularly aggravating," she said.
But she said it was not a professional job.
Acting Justice Christensen said there were various levels of remorse and she was guarded about the rehabilitation prospects for the three older offenders.
The court heard the offenders had grown up in Mr Druitt, Sydney, where the sister of Pauga said "being tough was not a choice, it was a necessity".
Acting Justice Christensen said Pauga said he'd been involved because he thought there would be some financial reward and he planned to give the money to his family.
The youngest of the group, who is still only 17, said he thought they were going on a camping trip, and couldn't work out why they went to the house.
He said he regretted the offending and apologised saying he no longer associated with the others.
Before sentencing the group Acting Justice Christensen said she would suspend each sentence, to give each a long period of supervision in the community.
Eneliko was sentenced to five years jail, to be suspended after 30 months.
Crichton and Pauga were given four year sentences to be suspended after 20 months.
All except the 17-year-old boy, have been in custody since they were arrested.
The 17-year-old was sentenced to three and a half years in jail, but his sentence has been fully suspended.
