Drug debt collector terrorises ‘wrong house’

A knife-wielding man who broke into a Gold Coast home and terrorised occupants to claim on a drug debt got the wrong house, a court has been told.

Drug addict Tyronne Colburn later realised he had stormed the “wrong house” in Broadbeach Waters, Southport District Court was told yesterday. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to burglary and two counts of attempted robbery.

A female occupant started screaming “he’s got a knife” – alerting her fellow residents – when she saw him standing near her bedroom door while she was in bed.

She raised the alarm inside the house about 12.20am on September 27 last year when Colburn, who had his shirt pulled up over his mouth, said “somebody owes me some money” before holding a knife close to a male occupant’s face.

The male victim has developed depression, anxiety and a sleep disorder since the attack, the court was told.

Colburn had actually intended to threaten a person who owed him a drug debt. That person allegedly lived next door to the house he entered, the court was told.

Judge Catherine Muir condemned Colburn for targeting “innocent people”.

“(The victim) is still recalling how helpless he felt at your hands that night,” Judge Muir said.

“You were totally out of your brain.”

Colburn was sentenced to four years in jail and will be eligible for parole in January next year. He was on parole at the time of the break-in.