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Former Sydney Roosters player Lepuha Baba Paseka sent to jail for his part in series of armed robberies
By Mark Oberhardt
The Courier-Mail February 08, 2012 11:06PM
A former Sydney Roosters rugby league player who fell into depression when his football career ended due to injury, was on Wednesday one of four men jailed for a series of violent offences on Brisbane's southside.
Jailed...former Rooster Lepuha Baba Paseka.
Instead playing before a packed football grandstand, Lepuha Baba Paseka was in a crammed District Court where he was jailed for 6 1/2 years.
Prosecutor Vicky Loury told the court, Paseka, 20, John Michael Daniels, 24, Salvador Enrique Diaz, 21, and Paul Sia, 22, were involved in various combinations together or with others, in violent robberies at southside hotels, a real estate agency and a home invasion.
Ms Loury said sawn off guns and gratuitous violence were used to frighten the victims in most of the offences.
She also detailed how Paseka, with other men not before the court, had been involved in a home invasion at Baronia Heights and had stolen guns from a safe
Paseka pleaded guilty to three robbery with violence counts, four of deprivation of liberty and one of burglary with violence.
Barrister Tony Entriken, for Paseka, said his client was signed by the Sydney Roosters for their Toyota Cup under 20 team after he finished Year 12 at Marsden High.
He said, however, Paseka suffered two serious ankle injures in 2009 and 2010 before being paid compensation and let go.
Mr Entriken said Paseka became depressed at the loss of his league career and fell in with the wrong crowd.
He said Paseka had strong family and Tongan community support and was doing courses in jail to rehabilitate.
Former Sydney Roosters player Lepuha Baba Paseka sent to jail for his part in series of armed robberies
By Mark Oberhardt
The Courier-Mail February 08, 2012 11:06PM
A former Sydney Roosters rugby league player who fell into depression when his football career ended due to injury, was on Wednesday one of four men jailed for a series of violent offences on Brisbane's southside.
Jailed...former Rooster Lepuha Baba Paseka.
Instead playing before a packed football grandstand, Lepuha Baba Paseka was in a crammed District Court where he was jailed for 6 1/2 years.
Prosecutor Vicky Loury told the court, Paseka, 20, John Michael Daniels, 24, Salvador Enrique Diaz, 21, and Paul Sia, 22, were involved in various combinations together or with others, in violent robberies at southside hotels, a real estate agency and a home invasion.
Ms Loury said sawn off guns and gratuitous violence were used to frighten the victims in most of the offences.
She also detailed how Paseka, with other men not before the court, had been involved in a home invasion at Baronia Heights and had stolen guns from a safe
Paseka pleaded guilty to three robbery with violence counts, four of deprivation of liberty and one of burglary with violence.
Barrister Tony Entriken, for Paseka, said his client was signed by the Sydney Roosters for their Toyota Cup under 20 team after he finished Year 12 at Marsden High.
He said, however, Paseka suffered two serious ankle injures in 2009 and 2010 before being paid compensation and let go.
Mr Entriken said Paseka became depressed at the loss of his league career and fell in with the wrong crowd.
He said Paseka had strong family and Tongan community support and was doing courses in jail to rehabilitate.
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