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Giuseppe Catanzariti felt no need to conceal his identity when he and another man detained a terrified child in a Giralang house and ransacked the place as retribution for a rejected kiss. But his mindset had changed by the time he faced the ACT Supreme Court for his crimes, only emerging from a sentence hearing with his head hidden under a jacket and surrounded by supporters, one of whom pushed a camera into this reporter’s nose. The 22-year-old was sentenced late last year to more than 21 months in jail, suspended on the condition he entered into an 18-month drug and alcohol treatment order. Key details of the construction worker’s case could not be reported at the time because of a non-publication order, which has now expired. Chief Justice Helen Murrell’s sentencing remarks, published on Thursday, show Catanzariti first met a woman who lived in the Giralang home when she worked as his “life coach”. By late 2019, Catanzariti’s sister had moved in with this woman, who no longer wanted Catanzariti in her house because of his drug use. Nevertheless, Catanzariti turned up there on or about December 19 of that year and tried to greet his former life coach with a kiss. The woman pulled away, prompting the 22-year-old to “stand over” her and rant: “You’re f—ed. I’m going to f— you over. I’m going to come in with my mates. I’m going to f—-ing steal your shit.” Catanzariti made good on his threat on December 27, 2019, when the woman’s teenage son was home alone. The boy heard a rattling noise at the front door about 6pm and picked up a small knife, conscious of the threat made by Catanzariti, but hid it when two men came barging in. One of them was disguised, and his identity remains unknown, but Catanzariti did not bother to hide his face. Catanzariti’s co-offender took the boy’s phone and ordered him to sit in the dining room as the two men searched the house. The fearful teenager tried to contact police and his brother with other electronic devices but he was stopped by the co-offender, who told the boy that his mother owed the men $20,000 and that they were “doing a good thing”. After about 20 minutes, the boy escaped through the laundry and ran to find a neighbour, who helped him raise the alarm as the offenders took off in a black car. That vehicle was abandoned a short time later, as were items stolen by the offenders including collectible coins, a t-shirt and a wallet. Jewellery had also been taken, and was later recovered. Catanzariti initially denied wrongdoing and spent about six months in custody on remand after his arrest. On the first day of his trial, however, he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, unlawful confinement and theft. At Catanzariti’s sentencing, the ACT Supreme Court heard that the 22-year-old’s former life coach now lived in “constant fear” and had abandoned that line of work because she was worried about meeting more people like him. In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had moved into temporary accommodation following the incident, with her son having to go and live with another family member. “[She] feels disgusted and betrayed by the offender,” Chief Justice Murrell said. “His conduct was poor thanks after he had been her client and she had housed one of his family members.” The judge said while the boy had not provided a victim impact statement, “the only available inference is that the offence terrified him and has a significant ongoing psychological impact on him”. Chief Justice Murrell described Catanzariti’s offending as “relatively serious” and “retribution for a perceived slight”. She said that at the relevant time, the offender was “under the influence of various substances … to the extent that he has maintained that he cannot remember what occurred”. Catanzariti was referred for a drug and alcohol treatment order suitability assessment in October 2020, when he covered his face as he left court. He was ultimately found suitable, and Chief Justice Murrell made the order in December. For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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Giuseppe Catanzariti felt no need to conceal his identity when he and another man detained a terrified child in a Giralang house and ransacked the place as retribution for a rejected kiss.
But his mindset had changed by the time he faced the ACT Supreme Court for his crimes, only emerging from a sentence hearing with his head hidden under a jacket and surrounded by supporters, one of whom pushed a camera into this reporter’s nose.
The 22-year-old was sentenced late last year to more than 21 months in jail, suspended on the condition he entered into an 18-month drug and alcohol treatment order.
Key details of the construction worker’s case could not be reported at the time because of a non-publication order, which has now expired.
Chief Justice Helen Murrell’s sentencing remarks, published on Thursday, show Catanzariti first met a woman who lived in the Giralang home when she worked as his “life coach”.
By late 2019, Catanzariti’s sister had moved in with this woman, who no longer wanted Catanzariti in her house because of his drug use.
Nevertheless, Catanzariti turned up there on or about December 19 of that year and tried to greet his former life coach with a kiss.
Giuseppe Catanzariti covers his face with a jacket outside court. Picture: Blake Foden
The woman pulled away, prompting the 22-year-old to “stand over” her and rant: “You’re f—ed. I’m going to f— you over. I’m going to come in with my mates. I’m going to f—-ing steal your shit.”
Catanzariti made good on his threat on December 27, 2019, when the woman’s teenage son was home alone.
The boy heard a rattling noise at the front door about 6pm and picked up a small knife, conscious of the threat made by Catanzariti, but hid it when two men came barging in.
One of them was disguised, and his identity remains unknown, but Catanzariti did not bother to hide his face.
Catanzariti’s co-offender took the boy’s phone and ordered him to sit in the dining room as the two men searched the house.
The fearful teenager tried to contact police and his brother with other electronic devices but he was stopped by the co-offender, who told the boy that his mother owed the men $20,000 and that they were “doing a good thing”.
After about 20 minutes, the boy escaped through the laundry and ran to find a neighbour, who helped him raise the alarm as the offenders took off in a black car.
That vehicle was abandoned a short time later, as were items stolen by the offenders including collectible coins, a t-shirt and a wallet. Jewellery had also been taken, and was later recovered.
Catanzariti initially denied wrongdoing and spent about six months in custody on remand after his arrest.
On the first day of his trial, however, he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, unlawful confinement and theft.
At Catanzariti’s sentencing, the ACT Supreme Court heard that the 22-year-old’s former life coach now lived in “constant fear” and had abandoned that line of work because she was worried about meeting more people like him.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had moved into temporary accommodation following the incident, with her son having to go and live with another family member.
“[She] feels disgusted and betrayed by the offender,” Chief Justice Murrell said.
“His conduct was poor thanks after he had been her client and she had housed one of his family members.”
The judge said while the boy had not provided a victim impact statement, “the only available inference is that the offence terrified him and has a significant ongoing psychological impact on him”.
Chief Justice Murrell described Catanzariti’s offending as “relatively serious” and “retribution for a perceived slight”.
She said that at the relevant time, the offender was “under the influence of various substances … to the extent that he has maintained that he cannot remember what occurred”.
Catanzariti was referred for a drug and alcohol treatment order suitability assessment in October 2020, when he covered his face as he left court.
He was ultimately found suitable, and Chief Justice Murrell made the order in December.
