A West Australian court has been told how a man unwittingly led police to his crime after forgetting to hang up from a call to emergency services.
James Patrick Bermingham, 20, phoned triple-0 in March this year after one of his mates was assaulted by another man in Geraldton.
After reporting the incident to police, Bermingham forgot to end the call and was recorded planning retribution.
He and three others then used a cricket bat to smash the windows of a car and house belonging to the man.
Bermingham's lawyer told the court the revenge attack, along with several admissions, were recorded by police.
Magistrate Ed de Vries said the case reminded him of the world's dumbest criminals.
He placed Bermingham on a community-based supervision order and ordered he pay one quarter of the repair bill.