By Ewen McRae
Two people who shot more than half a dozen rounds from a shotgun into a St Albans house last year have each been sentenced in the County Court to seven years prison.
Dean Gardiner and Lisa Wyka both pleaded guilty to charges of home invasion, assault with a firearm and placing another in danger of death following an incident at a Harmon Avenue property on June 23 last year.
The court heard that Wyka had previously been in a long-term relationship with one of the people in the house at the time of the shooting. The court was told of violence being inflicted on Wyka by the former partner prior to their relationship ending.
In the days preceding the offending, Wyka sent more than 200 text messages and phone calls to the former partner. On the night of the offences, she sent a number of abusive texts.
The former partner and a friend were visiting the Harmon Avenue property when Gardiner and Wyka drove to the house and parked in a nearby street. Gardiner told police that they wanted to “teach … a lesson” to the former partner.
When a pizza was delivered just before 2am, Wyka and Gardiner, armed with shotguns, ran on to the front porch and aimed the guns at the former partner, who slammed the door shut.
CCTV footage from outside the house shows Gardiner and Wyka discharging seven rounds into the door.
The court heard the former partner ran down the hallway of the house, leapt through a glass window and ran towards Green Gully, while the other two men in the house crouched in the bathroom until police arrived.
Gardiner and Wyka collected the shotgun shells. Gardiner used the butt of his shotgun to smash a car window in the driveway. The pair then returned to a Spring Hills house, and Wyka messaged one of the former partner’s friends to say she wished to be left alone.
The two were arrested and charged. Gardiner said he agreed to participate in the offending after hearing about the former partner’s treatment of Wyka during their relationship.
While neither Gardiner or Wyka had a criminal record, Judge Irene Lawson said the seriousness of the offending necessitated lengthy sentences.
“The motivation for the offending stem from an irrational desire on the part of Ms Wyka to send a clear message,” Judge Lawson said.
She said that through their “vigilante actions”, they had exposed innocent people to “real risk of serious harm or death”.
“Your behaviour warrants stern punishment and on behalf of the community, I must condemn your behaviour,” she said.
Gardiner and Wyka will be eligible for parole in five years.
