Jury to consider the motivation of burglar who will give evidence in trial

Allansford men Jol Katsaros, then 19, and Jackson Fary, 33, allegedly stole a Hunter Sako rifle, a Winchester rifle and a 12 gauge shotgun from a rural Allansford property in the early hours of July 14, 2021.

Two Stihl chainsaws and $150 cash was also allegedly stolen.

Mr Katsaros pleaded not guilty in the Warrnambool County Court on July 15, 2024 to the burglary and thefts.

In opening addresses crown prosecutor Yildana Hardjadibrata alleged Mr Fary and Mr Katsaros acted as a team when they stole the guns worth more than $7000.

He said the two men had known each other since they were boys and had been associating at the time of the alleged offending.

Mr Hardjadibrata said the two men consumed the drug ice together during the day on July 13, 2021 and then later travelled to Allansford in Mr Fary's Holden Astra.

He said they parked at the Allansford Hotel sometime after 1am and then walked to a property at White Street.

It is alleged the pair went into a garage where Mr Katsaros allegedly stole $150 cash from the centre console of an unlocked car.

He is then accused of locating the key to the gun safe.

Mr Hardjadibrata said Mr Fary knew where the key was kept as he'd been in the garage many times.

He said the two men, both allegedly carrying the stolen guns, walked from the house to a section of the Princes Highway where they hid the items with the intention of returning to get them later.

He alleged they then returned to the garage and stole the chainsaws.

Mr Hardjadibrata said the men returned to the car and Mr Fary drove them back to Warrnambool where they allegedly used cash stolen from the property to buy food from McDonalds in the city's east.

They then went to an area near the Hopkins River before Mr Fary later dropped Mr Katsaros at a Warrnambool address, the prosecutor said.

He said call charge records, cell phone locations and CCTV footage would be used as evidence in the trial.

Mr Hardjadibrata said jurors would hear from the alleged victims as well as Mr Fary, who had already been sentenced over his involvement.

Lawyer John Blackley, representing Mr Katsaros, said it was not disputed that a burglary took place, that Mr Fary was involved and that he was trying to on-sell the stolen firearms.

He said Mr Fary was charged by police and then later convicted of the offending in court.

The lawyer said it was not disputed that Mr Fary received a discount on his sentence on the condition that he give evidence in Mr Katsaros' case.

"What is in dispute is that Mr Katsaros accompanied him when he unlawfully entered the property," Mr Blackley said.

He said Mr Katsaros denied having any involvement in the offending.

Mr Blackley said Mr Fary's credibility and reliability would be a crucial aspect of the trial, and urged the jury to consider the man's motivations in cooperating with police and coming to court to "point the finger" at Mr Katsaros.

The trial before Judge George Georgiou continues.