THREE Millicent residents who broke into a Mount Gambier home, assaulted the owner and later assaulted a police officer appeared in court yesterday.
Harley David Wimshurst-Quin, 23, Damien Ashley Payne, 39, and Sarah Jane Wilson, 36, appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court after spending over 24 hours in custody.
The prosecution said at around 10.15pm on February 9 the three defendants attended an Orr Street address.
It was alleged that after a brief interaction with the occupant of the home at the front door, the defendants entered the home and Payne assaulted the victim.
The defendants stole cannabis biscuits and parts of a Sony PlayStation console.
The victim reported the incident to police.
The prosecution said closed circuit television footage showed the three defendants enter the address.
“The footage shows the interaction between the defendants and the victim at the front door and we can observe the assault occur as they enter the home,” the prosecution said.
“At one point Wilson leaves the address and returns a short time later with a crowbar.”
As routine investigations continued, police were again called to the address in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“At 3.30am the victim heard knocking at the door and voices at the front of the house,” the prosecution said.
“Still shaken from the incident which had occurred only a few days prior, the victim hid in the backyard and called police.”
When police arrived at the home, they noticed a vehicle parked nearby.
On approach, officers realised the three defendants were inside the vehicle.
One officer reached inside the vehicle in an attempt to remove the keys from the ignition, at which point Wimshurst-Quin punched the officer three times.
“The defendants began to drive away and the officer was dragged along for about 10 metres before he managed to free himself,” the prosecution said.
“The vehicle hit a police car before the defendants sped away.”
The officer drove himself to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Wimshurst-Quin appealed for home detention bail, Wilson appealed for supervised bail and Payne made no application for bail.
Magistrate Paul Foley, appearing via video link, ordered a home detention report for Wimshurst-Quin and remanded him in custody until the report is made available on February 22.
Magistrate Foley granted Ms Wilson supervised bail with a $1000 bond on the condition she was not to contact or communicate with the two other defendants or with relevant witnesses.
Payne was remanded in custody.
All three defendants are set to face a number of charges, including serious criminal trespass and dangerous driving offences.
