‘Unacceptable risk’: Geraldton man in custody following alleged home invasion

A 24-year-old man has been remanded in custody after an alleged home invasion in the early hours of Monday morning when a teenager was threatened with a knife. Shaun Samuel Capewell, pictured, appeared in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday from police custody facing seven charges relating to the incident. Prosecutor Sgt Troy Gildersleeve said Mr Capewell allegedly forced open a window of his ex-partner’s home in Spalding. “The occupants woke to the disturbance and the woman fled the scene,” he said. A 19-year-old man in the house allegedly confronted Mr Capewell, who police say punched him in the head several times before going to the kitchen and taking a knife with a 21cm blade from a drawer. “You want me to cut you up,” he allegedly told the man. Police say he took the woman’s car keys, reversing a Hyundai down the driveway and crashing into a power pole. According to Sgt Gildersleeve, he then abandoned the vehicle and picked up a large pot plant, which he threw through the rear window of another vehicle owned by his ex-partner before leaving. Police attended his Rangeway home at noon the same day, when Mr Capewell allegedly smashed alcoholic drinks on the ground and resisted arrest — forcing responding officers to call for back-up. “While he was on the ground, the accused withdrew a blade from his shorts and was disarmed,” Sgt Gildersleeve said, saying officers were “fearful” he would attempt to injure them. Mr Capewell was charged with aggravated home burglary, stealing a motor vehicle, two counts of being armed in a way that may cause fear, common assault, criminal damage, and obstructing public officers. Defence lawyer Tim Hampson said Mr Capewell “disputes the violent aspects of the allegations”, saying he only went to see his ex-partner because she had lost a family member recently. He was remanded in custody by Magistrate Chris Miocevich who said on the face of the allegations it was an “extremely strong case,” that would likely result in imprisonment. “It’s an unacceptable risk,” he said. “At the moment I can’t think of any conditions I could impose that would ensure the safety of the complainants.” “Before I consider bail I want to see the body camera footage to see if it is as the police have described.” He was remanded in custody and will return to court on May 31.