GOING with friends on an early morning series of attempted break-in attacks has cost a man his freedom.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Tyron James Thompson, 31, of Matthews Street, Emu Heights was sentenced in Bathurst Local Court on October 5, 2023 after he pleaded guilty on another occasion to:
- Break and entering in company to steal, and
- Entering inclosed land x2.
Documents tendered to the court state Thompson and two men drove a white convertible Audi to a home on Eusdale Road in Yetholme about 4am on April 24, 2023.
The men broke into the home, leaving the handle hanging from the door, before they went through the house room by room.
The group went into the garage where they tried to start an all terrain vehicle by wiring it before duct taping the ignition.
When the vehicle wouldn't start, Thompson and the men moved on and took a chainsaw, two drills and two children's motorcycle helmets with goggles.
They then left.
- IN OTHER NEWS: More fines dished for repeat offender who keeps testing his luck
The court heard the men drove to another property on Eusdale Road as the owner was walking outside.
"We're looking for Sims," Thompson said to the man.
"Sims doesn't live here. Try going down the road and having a look down there," the man said.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you," Thompson said as the group left.
The men drove to another property but turned around as they saw the second property owner.
The man got in his car and chased down Thompson and the group.
"Why the hell are you driving down my driveway at 4.30am in the morning?" the man asked.
"We are looking for Barry," they replied, as they sped off.
Police went to the first home on May 2, 2023 about 10am where they did a DNA swab, which came back positive for Thompson.
Thompson - who was behind bars for an unrelated offence at the time - was taken from his prison cell to Bathurst Police Station to be interviewed.
While speaking with police, Thompson said he was threatened into being involved.
![Bathurst Courthouse, where Tyron Thompson was sentenced on October 5, 2023. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst Courthouse, where Tyron Thompson was sentenced on October 5, 2023. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5QSV2wJYJi8ZgVyWibkV7A/5463711c-5aa7-48ee-8152-550ac960e6d6.jpg/r441_15_6183_3554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sentence
Thompson's criminality was labelled "bizarre" by his Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor Usman Naveed, who explained his client's offending didn't start until he turned 28 in 2020.
Mr Naveed said Thompson began to take drugs when work stopped around the time of COVID-19, which led to his offending.
With respect to the charge, Magistrate Fiona Thompson rejected Mr Naveed's submission that there was "no evidence of professional planning".
"It takes a bit to get three people to where they were and there wasn't just one property," Ms Toose said.
Ms Toose said Thompson had "certainly made up time" despite his late criminal bloom, adding he had an "extraordinary" number of breaches of bail on his record.
"You might want to be motivated to clean up your act and stay off the drugs," Ms Toose said to Thompson, who appeared by audio-visual link from Junee prison.
"Your history is absolutely shocking."
Thompson was sentenced to 12 months behind bars with a non-parole period of nine months.
At the time of publication, he is eligible for release from jail on April 18, 2024.
The matter is listed for a sentence hearing in Orange District Court on January 30, 2024 after he lodged a severity appeal.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.
Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.