A Warrawong man accused of using a machete to bust down a door in a terrifying home invasion involving a 21-month-old child has been refused court bail.
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Police allege Jeffrey Lawrence and his brother Louis Lawrence went to the Warrawong house on the evening of July 19 at the request of their sister Yeleela, who had had an argument with her sometime-friends, the home’s occupants.
Both men allegedly entered the house via an open door and ran upstairs carrying machetes.
By this stage, the victims had barricaded themselves in a bedroom with their 21-month old child.
Yaleela Lawrence allegedly yelled out “let’s just break it down”, referring to the door.
The trio allegedly kicked at the door multiple times attempting to force it open.
At one stage a machete was stabbed into the door, narrowly missing one of the occupants on the other side.
Police allege the machete was then used to rip the door out of the door jam, causing it to fall on top of a cot where the child was sitting.
An unknown person alerted the warring parties to the impending arrival of police, allegedly prompting the two Lawrence men to flee from the house.
Jeffrey Lawrence returned to the house a short time later and was arrested along with Yaleela Lawrence.
The pair allegedly gave differing accounts of who was at the house and their movements inside the premises during subsequent interviews with police.
Yaleela Lawrence was given police bail, however Jeffrey Lawrence was remanded in custody to face Wollongong Local Court, where his bail application was refused.
Magistrate Michael Stoddart noted Jeffrey Lawrence faced a lengthy custodial sentence if he was convicted.