Teenagers terrify family

Car rammed in frightening home invasion

A TOOWOOMBA teen involved in a “frightening” home invasion in broad daylight has been sentenced to a prison/ probation order.

Brayden Lawrence Gillmeister, 18, was in the front passenger seat of a stolen car along with an unidentified adult driver and two juvenile boys when they drove into the driveway of a Kearneys Spring home on the afternoon of May 1, 2022.

Gillmeister remained in the car with the driver as the two juveniles broke into the home, stealing various property including jewellery, Toowoomba District Court heard.

However, the driver tooted the car’s horn to alert the juveniles the homeowners with their two daughters, aged 13 and 14 in the back seat, had just driven into the driveway.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley told the court the homeowner got out of his car to confront the intruders as they ran back to the stolen vehicle, armed with a knife and a golf club they both dropped in their haste.

Gillmeister then exited the stolen car armed with a golf club and he and one of the juveniles attacked the homeowners’ car, smashing the front passenger window, shattering glass over the homeowner.

As the woman tried to reverse the family’s car back out of the driveway, the driver in the stolen vehicle rammed their car a number of times in an attempt to drive-off, Ms Coley said.

Eventually the family’s car reversed enough for the offenders to escape, the court heard.

Ms Coley said Gillmeister was arrested days later, telling police he had been asleep when they arrived at the house.

Gillmeister spent the ensuing 273 days in custody before pleading guilty on Wednesday to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, burglary by break while armed and in company and armed robbery in company.

Barrister Steve Kissick told the court Gillmeister had an intellectual disability and had been granted an NDIS package after being mentally assessed while in custody.

He said his client had no previous criminal history and the nine months he had spent in custody had been “a significant eye opener for him”.

Even if granted parole forthwith, he said Gillmeister would remain in custody until other charges before the magistrates court were dealt with on Monday next week.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC described the offending as “very serious”.

“It must have been utterly frightening and terrifying for that family to be confronted by that when they came home, particularly the 13 and 14-yearold girls,” he said.

“Home invasion offences are very prevalent and the community absolutely denounces it.

“We should all be able to feel safe in our homes and not be confronted by that sort of scene in broad daylight when we get home.”

Judge Horneman-Wren sentenced Gillmeister to the 273 days he had already served.

Judge Horneman-Wren also put him on a two-year probation order.