Five plead guilty over grog heist

A GROUP of men — one of whom was wielding a tomahawk — and a teenager who had just turned 16 broke into the Groote Eylandt Lodge to steal grog, threatening a lone worker, but were turned in to police by family members, a court has heard.

Raymoss Lalara, Ian Mamarika, Edmund Chris Wurramara, Alex Lalara and a 16year-old whose name is suppressed have pleaded guilty in the NT Supreme Court to charges including aggravated unlawful entry over the February 20 grog heist.

Crown prosecutor Courtney Grant said the group planned to clear the lodge’s restaurant, driving there in a stolen Gemco mine ute.

Three of them — including the 16-year-old and Wurramara, who was armed with the tomahawk — forced their way into the lodge’s Seagrass restaurant after a worker, 42, heard them approach the loading dock.

“The victim saw Edmund Wurramara, 20, waving the axe at him, which caused the victim to fear for his immediate safety,” Ms Grant said.

Mamarika, 28, and Raymoss Lalara, 21, then joined the trio, before Wurramara said words to the effect of “don’t call anyone, don’t go anywhere” and cut the restaurant’s phone line with the tomahawk.

The five made off with more than $2300 worth of booze.

Justice Graham Hiley will continue sentencing proceedings next month.