A Sudanese man living in Australia since 2004 is at risk of deportation after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and recklessly causing injury during a violent home invasion.
Majok Aneet, 25, (pictured) pleaded guilty to the charges relating to a violent Melbourne home invasion in February 2017 and could have visa cancelled
Majok Aneet, 25, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Friday to the charges relating to a violent Melbourne home invasion in February 2017.
Under amendments to the Migration Act anyone sentenced to more than 12 months prison will immediately have their visa cancelled, The Herald Sun reported.
The court heard that Aneet and his two co-accused smashed their way into an Avondale Heights home, a suburb of Melbourne, and violently stole a laptop and mobile phone.
His lawyer Jennifer Clarke implored Judge Michael Tinney to consider the risks of deportation when sentencing Aneet, asking that he be sentenced to time served, 220 days, and released on a Community Corrections Order.
While Judge Tinney sympathised with Aneet’s situation he was clear that he would no refrain from sentencing according to the severity of the offences, the publication reported.
‘I’m here to sentence appropriately for the crime that has been committed. If the sentence is greater than 12 months, so be it,’ Judge Tinney said.
‘Why would anyone think it’s appropriate to yank him out of the country is beyond me … but I’m just the judge passing sentence.’
The court heard that Aneet and his two co-accused smashed their way into an Avondale Heights home (pictured left), a suburb of Melbourne, and violently stole a laptop and mobile phone
Judge Tinney said due to his offending and guilty verdict Aneet was ‘looking down the barrel’ of deportation from ‘the only country he has ever known’.
In a police interview following the incident, Aneet downplayed his involvement, claiming he ‘got a lift to a bloke’s house and was sleeping in the car’ and it was ‘just a bunch of friends having a push around.’
He later said he stood by as the other two co-accused committed the violence.
The court was also told of Aneet’s time playing football in Melbourne and finding some success in the lower leagues.
He found some success playing in Victoria’s Western Jets side and in the reserves for the Werribee VFL squad
He played in Victoria’s Western Jets side and in the reserves for the Werribee VFL squad.
The court also heard that during his time in police custody he struck up a relationship with an inmate who has links to an AFL club who might be able to open doors into the league for Aneet.
Ms Clark said her client had presented only clean urine samples during his time in custody and was looking for a pathway to rehabilitation through football.
Aneet is due to be sentenced on December 14.
Ms Clark said her client had presented only clean urine samples during his time in custody and was looking for a pathway to rehabilitation through football