Troy Damien Johnston, David Wayne Grenfell and John Thon Bailey were convicted after they pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary involving the commission of an offence in a dwelling, of doing an unlawful act endangering the life, health or safety of a person; aggravated armed assault with intent to rob; aggravated grievous bodily harm and criminal damage.
Sentenced at the Supreme Court on May 19, Grenfell received 12 years with parole; Johnston and Bailey each received eight years with parole.
On April 7, 2015 Grenfell and Johnston met with other co-offenders to steal cash and drugs. They gathered weapons and tools such as a machete, hammer and surgical gloves.
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READ NOWThe group left in separate cars. CCTV filmed them entering a Cooloongup house at 1.57am on April 8.
The co-offender, who shot the gun, kicked the front door down and fired a sawn-off shotgun near a couch where three children were sleeping. Pellets from the shot penetrated the couch.
Grenfell followed, while Johnston smashed windows on his way into the house.
The victim, an adult male, was asleep in a bedroom while the children’s mother was asleep in another bedroom.
The shooter went down the hallway where he confronted the victim, demanding money and drugs.
The victim said he had nothing but the shooter kept demanding before firing at the victim’s lower leg. After the shooting, the group left empty -handed.
Justice Fiannaca said the victim received horrific injuries resulting in the amputation of his lower leg.
“The offending was of a very grave nature, which would appal right-minded people in the community,” he said.
“It was a horrifying, traumatic ordeal for all of the victims, but one would have expected, in particular, for the children.
“It does not take a great deal of imagination to think of the lasting psychological harm such offending could cause the children.”
Johnston and Grenfell had their sentences backdated to July 2015 and Bailey to July 2016 to take into account time already spent in custody.
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