Gang of four gunmen jailed for robberies across Brisbane's southside

a FORMER Sydney Roosters rugby league player who fell into depression when his football career ended due to injury, was today one of four men jailed for a series of violent offences on Brisbane's southside.

Instead paying 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.

In a schedule of facts tendered to the court, Ms Loury detailed how Daniels and Sia held up the Sunnybank Hotel on March 19, last year and after threatening staff and patrons with guns fled with $4482

The next day, Daniels, Diaz and Paseka held up the Lucky Star Hotel and after again threatening patrons and staff with guns made off with a total of $64,885.

Ms Loury said Daniels drove the getaway car in the Lucky Star robbery but records showed he had been on a mobile phone to Diaz for the length of the robbery.

"The Crown says Daniels, who has a background in armed robberies, was directing the robbery," she said.

Ms Loury said only one victim of the robberies had given a victim impact statement because identification had been taken from their wallets and they feared retribution.

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 had also been involved in a robbery at a real estate agency in February last year where he and others stole $150 in cash and a camera.

Daniels pleaded guilty to three counts of armed robbery with violence in company, and four of deprivation of liberty while Sia pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery with violence in company.

Paseka pleaded guilty to three robbery with violence counts, four of deprivation of liberty and one of burglary with violence.

Diaz pleaded guilty to armed robbery with violence in company and four counts of deprivation of liberty.

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.

Barrister Peter Nolan, for Daniels, said his client came from the Philippines at age 14 and after having difficulties at school became involved in the drug culture.

Barrister Mal Harrison, for Sia, said his client, who was originally from Auckland, had a low IQ and was a follower not a leader.

Barrister Peter Hanlon, or Diaz, said his client had no previous convictions and also had strong support within the El Salvadorian community in Brisbane.

He said at the time Diaz was suffering depression and stress including an adverse reaction to an acne treatment.

Judge Julie Dick jailed Paseka for 6 1/2 years with parole eligibility after 26 months.

Diaz and Sia were both jailed or four years to be suspended after 16 months.

Judge Dick said Daniels, who was on a suspended sentence for armed robbery at the time of the offences, was in a different category and she jailed him for seven years to be cumulative on the two years 11 months remaining of his previous sentence.

She ordered that after time served on remand Daniels be eligible for parole in August 2014.