A 19-year-old has been jailed for his role in a group’s “terrifying” kidnapping and beating of the ‘wrong’ person.
In May 2024, Mahdi Mohammadi and two others in a white van set off from Lynbrook and drove around for two hours “waiting for an opportunity to seize” the victim, according to a prosecution summary at the Victorian County Court.
In Wattle Crescent Beaconsfield, they forced the man into the back of the van, tied him with duct tape covered his head with a pillowcase and held him captive in a Doncaster address.
The victim, who was a friend of the intended victim, was “terrorised, assaulted and tormented in a most appalling way”, sentencing judge Scott Johns said on 28 July.
The man was filmed as he was tied to a chair in his underwear, his head shaven and a sawn-off or cut-down gun was placed in his mouth by co-offender Amose Elmarkaz.
Judge Johns described the footage as “terrifying”.
The captors were receiving instructions via a Signal chat group. They sent an image of the victim – and realised they had abducted the wrong person.
They still carried on with the ordeal.
At one point, Mohammadi punched the victim in the face.
The victim had a bullet placed in his mouth in a threatening manner.
Judge Johns noted the victim was “too overwhelmed by the experience” to make a victim impact statement.
“I take into account that it was a terrifying, impactful and traumatic experience for him.”
Mohammadi was arrested while fleeing from the van in Cranbourne West – having just released the victim in Mullum Mullum Reserve, Ringwood.
Born in Afghanistan, Mohammadi remained traumatised by a violence-marred childhood.
After moving to Australia at 11, he attended school in Doveton as well as an English-language school.
As a result of his PTSD, he’d ‘self-medicated’ with meth, benzos and cocaine in recent years.
Judge Johns accepted Mohammadi’s traumatic background was a significant mitigating factor.
He was just 18 at the time of the kidnapping with no prior convictions and “good” rehabilitation prospects.
Mohammadi pleaded guilty to stalking, common-law kidnapping, common-law assault, intentionally causing injury and possessing an unregistered gun.
Judge Johns noted that Mohammadi played a lesser role than co-offender Elmarkaz, who was jailed for up to three years and four months.
Mohammadi was jailed for two years and four months, and eligible for parole after 17 months.
His term included 450 days in pre-sentence detention, meaning he’s eligible for parole in two months.
