“Just talk tough” is how one man described his threats to the victim of a violent robbery, during an ACT Supreme Court hearing.
Key points:
- Omar Haddara admitted his involvement in a violent robbery in North Canberra
- Haddara told the court that he agreed to help an old friend collect a debt, but gained nothing from it.
- He will be evaluated for an intensive correction order before his sentencing in November.
Omar Haddara, 30, admitted his role in the crime in which several others were also arrested.
The court heard that the victim was lured to a house in North Canberra by a woman he knew.
But shortly after their arrival there was a knock at the door and four men, some of them armed, entered the house.
The man was attacked and forced to transfer money from his account in varying amounts.
In the lead up to the incident, Haddara had agreed to help an old friend collect a debt.
He sent numerous messages to the victim about meeting with him to collect the money, telling the man that he had taken over the debt and was expecting payment.
“You are a weak dog and your debt has just doubled, and when I see you I will flog you,” Haddara said.
Haddara told the court she had no idea how much the debt was or what it was for, saying she was not going to gain anything from it.
He also told the court that he had no intention of carrying out the threat.
“It was more of a tough conversation,” he said.
He said that he had gone with the others to help if needed, but realized that things were not going as he expected when he saw that some of the others were carrying weapons.
“As soon as there was violence, I got between them. I was trying to stop them from attacking him,” Haddara said.
“I don’t even like these people. I should have stayed out of it and not gotten involved.”
“It was a stupid mistake, I wasn’t getting anything out of it.”
Judge David Mossop questioned his actions.
“Why the tough guy threats?” Judge Mossop said.
He replied, “I really don’t know why, I just wasn’t thinking straight at the time.”
He denied that he was trying to downplay his involvement.
Judge Mossop said the crime was in the context of collecting a drug debt and involved weapons and violence.
He said Haddara knew her presence was needed to press the threat, but she was not shown to have participated in the violence.
Judge Mossop also found that there was no evidence to show that Haddara had won anything.
“It’s not clear what his motivation was,” Judge Mossop said.
But the judge noted that he was more than just a follower.
Haddara will be evaluated for an intensive correction order before his sentencing in November.
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