Kael Shanen Liddy: Suspended sentence for burglary of home used as emergency accommodation during Denmark fire

A 21-year-old man helped burgle a home that was being used as emergency accommodation for locals forced to evacuate during last month’s Denmark bushfire. Kael Shanen Liddy appeared in Albany Magistrates Court last Thursday via video link from Fremantle Courthouse and pleaded guilty to aggravated home burglary, property damage and stealing. He was the second man convicted in relation to a burglary at a Hay property on February 7, when the community was still dealing with a blaze that had destroyed four homes. The bushfire started on February 4, doubled in size that night, and was still at a watch-and-act level on February 7. On February 17, Deakin Porter Dimer, 20, received a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months for his role in the burglary. Police prosecutor Sgt Dave Loverock told the court three people entered the vacant property through an unlocked door. The court was told the owners had opened up their house to other locals who had evacuated because of the bushfire. Liddy was involved in ransacking the home, helping steal thousands of dollars worth of items. About $16,000 of property was stolen, including electrical items, antiques, camping equipment and a wine collection comprising 66 bottles. While inside the property Liddy caused “extensive damage” to a $2000 TV when he removed it from a wall. Police executed a search warrant at an address in Ocean Beach on February 11 and managed to recover all the stolen items, Sgt Loverock said. Legal Aid duty lawyer Graeme Payne told the court Liddy had been living in Denmark for the past year and was “struggling financially”. “He saw (the burglary) as a solution to his financial difficulties,” he said. Mr Payne said Liddy, who has since moved to Perth, co-operated with police by showing officers where the stolen property was in his Ocean Beach home. Mr Payne asked the court to consider putting the man on a community-based order or a suspended prison term as a last resort. Albany magistrate Dianne Scaddan said Liddy took advantage of the circumstances surrounding the bushfire. “You entered the property and thought it was OK to solve your money problems,” she said. “Any burglary is treated seriously by the courts — it makes people anxious as a home should be a safe haven.” Despite Liddy playing a bigger role in the offending, he too was placed on a seven-month prison term, suspended for 12 months. Liddy was also fined $700 for drug offences stemming from the police search of his home on February 11, when officers seized 7g of cannabis and smoking implements.