A man who stole two guns from a Stanhope property and his partner, who waited outside as a look-out during the burglary, have been sentenced in court.

Anthony Firebrace, 38, of Kangaroo Flat, pleaded guilty in Bendigo County Court to burglary, three counts of theft and possessing a firearm while a prohibited person.

Brianna Oliver, 31, of Echuca, pleaded guilty to burglary and two counts of theft.

The court heard Firebrace, Oliver and another man went to a Stanhope house on January 6, 2023.

Firebrace went inside and ransacked the home, while Oliver remained outside in the car as a look-out.

He stole two guns — a Beretta double-barrel 12-gauge shotgun and a Stirling single-barrel shotgun — as well as ammunition, $6000 worth of jewellery and a Mazda BT-50 ute.

Oliver is charged with the burglary and the theft of the ute and jewellery, on a complicity basis in that she knew Firebrace was going into the premises equipped to steal.

The court was told the two guns had not been recovered, but the ute was found at a caravan park in Harrietville on February 23, 2023.

Firebrace is also not allowed to possess guns under a Firearms Prohibition Order.

He was also on bail at the time, as well as on a community corrections order.

Judge Trevor Wraight noted Firebrace had a “traumatic childhood”.

He also has post-traumatic stress disorder, a personality disorder, depression and a substance use disorder.

He also noted that Firebrace had done drug rehabilitation at Odyssey House in 2022, and had secured housing and a job around that time.

However, when he and Oliver lost their Rochester home in the 2022 Rochester floods, Firebrace returned to using methamphetamines.

Before his arrest, Firebrace was using methamphetamines daily, as well as the drug GHB recreationally.

However, Judge Wraight said Firebrace had used his time well in prison while awaiting the case to come to court, but said that with his prior criminal history, Firebrace’s prospects of rehabilitation were “guarded, at best”.

Judge Wraight said Firebrace and Oliver had been in a relationship for three years up until the time of the burglary.

He noted Oliver had a history of methamphetamine use, but had given up when she was 23, but again started using drugs during the relationship.

Oliver spent 30 days in pre-sentence detention in this matter, and Judge Wraight said she had gotten a job since then and her prospects of rehabilitation were “very good”.

“You have clearly moved away from the relationship that led to drug use and criminality,” Judge Wraight said.

He also said there was a basis for disparity in the sentences of the pair given their different roles in the offence, Firebrace’s prior criminal convictions and the fact that only Firebrace was charged with possessing the guns while a prohibited person.

Firebrace was sentenced to three years in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and two months.

The 852 days he has spent in pre-sentence detention counts as time already served on the sentence.

Oliver was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.

The order will include treatment and rehabilitation for drug abuse and mental health, as well as her having to take part in programs to reduce the chances of her re-offending.

Both Firebrace and Oliver’s driver’s licences were also suspended for two months.

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Wednesday, 7th May 2025

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