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A group of teens could face life behind bars over a string of “senseless and extraordinary” attacks linked to Melbourne’s bar wars which included the kidnapping and beating of the wrong man.
Police say “huge” money being offered to teens by organised crime groups to carry out their dirty work saw the accused continue their attack on the wrong man despite realising it was a case of mistaken identity.
It was one of six attacks allegedly committed over five days targeting club promoter Paul Samlidis, 28, and a colleague who both run Alumbra events on Saturday nights at The Albion venue in South Melbourne.
The most serious incident, a magistrate said, involved a group forcing its way inside a Malvern home on April 14.
The Children’s Court heard the victim was attacked in front of his wife and two young children before being forced into a car and kidnapped. He was then assaulted for hours with weapons including a hammer and had his head forced underwater, before he was dumped at a hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
The alleged assault unfolded despite the group realising early on they had grabbed the wrong person, the court heard.
The magistrate was told the family had since sold their home.
In an earlier incident, the masked group is accused of an aggravated home invasion in Templestowe in which the front door was kicked in. A member of the group was armed with a samurai sword, the court heard.
The home’s occupants – Samlidis’ father and brother – were allegedly assaulted with a machete and a bat and the attack videoed.
“CCTV captures the audio and terrified screams of the occupants as this was occurring,” a detective told the court.
A message recovered by police showed a “tasker” telling one of the youths before the attack: “easy stuff bro don’t overthink it. If it doesn’t go to plan you’ll feel lost. Just go in and bash the dad. No vid no pay”.
Samlidis was in hospital at the time, recovering from severe injuries after he was allegedly ambushed by attackers wielding a machete and bat the night before. He has since fled overseas due to fears for his safety, and his family is too scared to return home, the court heard.
In other incidents, the group allegedly attempted to kidnap a person at Wollert by blocking in a car, with the driver hitting a street sign while trying to escape. The next day they unsuccessfully tried to force entry into a Wollert home armed with weapons including a hatchet, police allege. They had returned for a second time with a larger group but again failed to get inside.
Two of the accused teens, both aged 17, were on bail at the time of the alleged crime spree, one also being on a probation order for separate, violent crimes.
Both applied for bail in the latest case, arguing the legal proceedings were in their infancy and that as children they were vulnerable in custody.
The prosecution argued against their release, saying they were a serious risk to the community because of the “senseless and extraordinary” level of violence involved in their alleged offending.
One of the teens, who lives in residential care, has absconded from his home 20 times since October.
The second 17-year-old argued he should be bailed to live in a granny flat with his girlfriend’s family.
The girlfriend’s mother said her elderly parents were light sleepers and would be likely to wake if the teen attempted to escape.
Youth Justice said the teen could be electronically monitored and managed in part with “recreational activities”.
Those involved in the case could face life imprisonment and sentencing in the County Court following the recent introduction of “adult times for violent crimes” legislation.
A magistrate found the two teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posed a serious risk to public safety and denied them bail.
An adult involved with the group, 41-year-old Darren Ismail, became the fifth member charged when he appeared in court on Tuesday. He was also denied bail.
Melbourne’s bar wars have led to a wave of more than 35 violent attacks – including firebombings, drive-by shootings, and extortion threats – targeting the city’s nightlife and hospitality venues.
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Carla Jaeger is a journalist for The Age. Got a tip? Email carla.jaeger@theage.com.au or message carlajaeger.62 on Signal.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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