Financial Crimes Squad detectives have charged three people in relation to an incident in which a man was kidnapped, bound, threatened and injured on Tuesday 28 January 2020.
About 9:00pm the victim, a 19-year-old man, attended a residence on Walter Road West, Inglewood, to meet another person whom he owed a financial debt to. The residence is a short-stay accommodation property and is not linked to any of the parties involved.
It will be alleged three people were waiting at the property and shortly after the victim arrived, and confirmed he was unable to pay the debt he owed, he was rendered unconscious by being choked by a member of the group and was subsequently bound by cable ties.
Over a period of time one or more of the offenders used the victim’s mobile phone to contact his family and demand tens of thousands of dollars more than the original debt, threatening to harm the victim if they didn’t comply with the demands. The victim’s family were also sent a video of the victim bound on the floor.
During the incident it will be further alleged the victim received cut wounds to two of his toes, before he was again rendered unconscious by being choked.
The victim was left on the floor overnight and the following day he was driven from the property and let out of the vehicle in the vicinity of Pollard Street, Glendalough. He was located by Police a short time later at a nearby residence. St John Ambulance was called to the residence and he was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.
On Thursday 30 January 2020 detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad executed search warrants at residences in Broun Avenue, Embleton (23-year-old man arrested), Cowra Turn, Aveley (26-year-old man arrested) and Kensington Street, East Perth (26-year-old man arrested).
The three men were each charged with ‘Detained another with Intent to Gain a Benefit’ (kidnapping), ‘Demanding Property by Oral Threats’ (extortion) and ‘Unlawful Wounding’.
They were all refused bail and appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday 31 January 2020, and are next due to appear in the same court on Friday 28 February 2020.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ken FOSTER from the Financial Crimes Squad said while crimes of this nature are rare in Western Australia, they are serious crimes that trigger a significant police response.
“Such a situation would be terrifying for any person to be in, and no-one should be subjected to such violent acts. The alleged offences should shock and horrify every member of the community.
“It would be any parent’s worst nightmare to receive such vision of their child, and to be subjected to such threats. In this instance family members became extremely distressed as a result of receiving the video and associated threats made towards their son.
“Unfortunately, while crimes of this nature should not occur, it is an example of the risks a person exposes themselves, and their families to when they start to associate with people involved in illicit drugs and/or other criminal activity. It is easy for good families to find themselves involved in a world that is dangerous and unpredictable.
“Regardless of the circumstances, and whether someone is owed a debt, the series of events that we are alleging took place that night are simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community.
“This serious crime resulted in a significant police response, firstly with officers working throughout the night to locate and check on the welfare of the kidnapped man, and then secondly to investigate and identify those offenders involved.”
