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Midland: meth user who bashed partner and threatened people with replica firearm jailed

Lauren PilatMidland Kalamunda Reporter

A METH-using thief who bashed his partner and terrorised people with a replica firearm has been jailed for 18 months.

Brock Richard Byrnes (35) appeared in Midland Magistrates Court via video link from Hakea Prison this month faced with 15 charges, all of which he pleaded guilty to.

The court heard that on January 23, Byrnes went to his girlfriend’s Wattle Grove home where a heated argument between the two ended with him punching her in the face.

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The blow forced the mother-of-two, who had been in a relationship with Byrnes for nine weeks, to fall to the ground and left her concussed with bruises under her right eye.

Byrnes was issued with a police order on the same day, prohibiting him from making contact with the victim, but he breached it within 24 hours by sending her messages.

In an impact statement provided to Magistrate Stephen Sharratt, the victim said she was “terrified” of Byrnes and never wanted to see him again, with the assault causing her emotional, physical and financial stress.

Mr Sharratt said Byrnes was the first to admit he had a problem with using meth and that it turned him into a “thief, someone who bashes his partner, and someone who threatens the public”.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant David Lincoln said on March 31 Byrnes drove with a suspended licence on Roe Highway before he tried to overtake a blue Honda Accord that he ended up crashing into.

Snr Sgt Lincoln said both cars spun out of control, with one of the passengers in the Honda Accord an elderly woman in her 80s.

When the cars eventually stopped; Byrnes got out of the car and ran from the scene.

Witnesses to the crash gave chase before Byrnes turned and pointed a replica firearm at them which he had pulled from the back of his pants.

Mr Sharratt said Byrnes’ actions showed how stupid people became when using meth, with him terrorising witnesses into thinking they were going to be shot.

Byrnes said he wasn’t himself when on meth and warned people in the back of the court to never use the drug.

The court also heard that Byrnes stole a Holden Club worth $40,000 from Scarboro Toyota and a necklace from Mazzucchelli’s Carillon City, and trespassed on several properties in Bayswater between October 2017 and March 2018.

Byrnes’ charges included unlawful assault and thereby did bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation; being armed or pretending to be armed in a way that may cause fear; steal motor vehicle; without lawful excuse trespassed on a place; and being the driver of a vehicle involved in an incident where property was damaged, failed to stop as required to do so.

He was fined more than $3300, jailed for 18 months – seven months for assaulting his partner – and suspended from driving for six months once he is released.