Accused drug dealer 'put pistol to man's head'

12:00a.m. 8th November 2007

An alleged drug dealer had planned to recover a debt when he allegedly burst into a Caloundra home with a pistol and a machete, a court heard.

Police were called to the Regent Street unit after two men reported they had been robbed at gunpoint in an alleged home invasion on October 17.

Corey Dean Downey, 22, was refused bail in the Caloundra Magistrates Court, which was enforced again when he applied for bail in Brisbane Supreme Court this week.

Mr Downey — a landscaper with two children — is charged with entering the dwelling, threatening violence while armed with a pistol, robbery with violence involving a machete and common assault.

Justice Margaret White said Mr Downey, who had five pages of criminal history including violence offences, was probably serving an extended suspended sentence.

She said he was also charged with minor drug-related offences.

“The relationship between (Mr Downey) and the two complainants is said to arise out of previous purchases of illegal drugs from the defendant who, in his affidavit, deposes he was seeking to recover money he had leant to the complainants,” she said.

“The applicant enters the unit, put a gun to the head of one of the complainants. He then turned to the other complainant, who was asleep, demanded money and held a machete against that complainant’s throat and threatened to kill him.

“That complainant escaped and was chased to an adjoining property’s roof.

“(Mr Downey) escaped in a waiting car.

“He stole a mobile phone and some money.

“He was identified by the complainant to police two days later.”

Justice White said Mr Downey’s history included breaches of court orders and bail undertakings and indicated a likely drug problem.

She said Mr Downey denied he committed the offences as outlined by the two men in the house, including that he did not enter the home.

But Justice White said there was a strong case against him and he was likely to face long time in jail.

She said there was a risk he would interfere with prosecution witnesses because there was evidence he already tried.

Justice White refused Mr Downey’s bail after also noting there was a risk he would commit further offences and fail to appear in court.