A man who terrorised a young woman during a home invasion and later crashed a stolen car while carrying a loaded rifle has had his appeal against a 30-month prison sentence dismissed.
Jake Paul Moltoni, 24, committed 21 offences over five months, spending just 20 days out of custody on bail during that period before reoffending each time.
The Supreme Court heard Moltoni and two accomplices broke into a Brighton home in September 2024 while a 20-year-old woman was home alone.
When the men realised she had locked herself in her bedroom, one of them kicked the door off its hinges to get inside.
The terrified woman escaped through a window and hid in a nearby street.
Four months later, Moltoni stole a Nissan Pathfinder and crashed it at Old Beach while carrying a loaded .22 calibre rifle he claimed to have recently “dug up”.
Police found the stolen firearm on the ground next to the crashed vehicle with a live round in the chamber and additional ammunition in the magazine.
A bag containing 50 more rounds of live ammunition was discovered inside the car.
“Not only did the applicant have possession of a stolen firearm, it was also loaded,” Supreme Court Justice Kate Cuthbertson said.
“There was evidence that the firearm had been accidently discharged during the course of the crash, only serving to emphasise the inherent danger of transporting a loaded firearm.”
The court heard Moltoni was unlicensed and his criminal record meant he would never be eligible to obtain a firearms licence.
He had been released from prison just six months before committing the first offence and had previously served 33 months for similar crimes including aggravated assault and firearms offences.
Moltoni, who represented himself on appeal, argued the sentence was too harsh given his guilty pleas and rehabilitation prospects.
He claimed he had been punished for his background and insisted ‘no one was hurt’ during his offending.
Justice Cuthbertson rejected the appeal, finding the sentence properly reflected the seriousness of the crimes and Moltoni’s persistent reoffending while on bail.
“General deterrence and denunciation are important considerations when sentencing for such offences,” she said.
Moltoni will be eligible for parole on May 20, 2026.
