A Western Australian man has been sentenced to eight years behind bars for the terrifying abduction of a young boy from his family home in the state's Wheatbelt region, in a case a judge compared to the kidnapping of Cleo Smith.
Chilling Kidnapping Caught on Camera
Jonathan Anthony, aged 36, was masked and wearing a wig when he entered a home in Moora, approximately 180 kilometres north of Perth, in March 2023. Security footage captured the intruder's movements as he first attempted to snatch a sleeping 12-year-old boy from his bed. The older child managed to escape the clutches of the assailant.
What the 12-year-old did not realise at the time was that his younger brother had already been taken. Anthony had dragged the eight-year-old from his bed and detained him inside the house, threatening the child by saying, "stay here or I’ll kill you".
A Three-Hour Ordeal for Young Victim
The court heard harrowing details of the younger boy's captivity, which lasted for more than three hours. During this time, Anthony changed the child into his own clothes and forced beer down the boy's throat. The kidnapper also refused to let the victim use the toilet.
The incident sparked a frantic overnight search involving family members and police. The young boy was finally rescued just after 7am, when his screams were heard by rescuers.
Mental Health and Substance Use Cited in Defence
During sentencing proceedings in the Perth District Court on Friday, Anthony's lawyer told the court his client had been off his prescribed medication for schizophrenia. The defence also stated Anthony had sniffed butane on the night of the kidnappings, which led to delusions involving aliens and a perceived need to "save the children".
Despite these submissions, the judge imposed an eight-year prison term. In handing down the sentence, the judge referenced the high-profile case of Terence Kelly, who abducted four-year-old Cleo Smith from a Carnarvon campsite in 2021, calling such crimes "every parent’s worst nightmare".
The father of the two boys has spoken with 7NEWS, expressing his disappointment with the length of the sentence. With eligibility for parole, Jonathan Anthony could be released from prison in as little as three years.
