A Melbourne court has heard that a group of teenagers allegedly involved in the city’s ongoing “bar wars” carried out a series of violent attacks after being paid large sums by organised crime figures.
Police allege the group continued a brutal kidnapping and assault of an innocent man even after realising they had targeted the wrong person.
The alleged five-day crime spree is linked to Melbourne nightclub promoter Paul Samlidis and a colleague, with six attacks under investigation, including an arson attack.
The most serious incident involved the mistaken abduction of a Malvern man, who was allegedly tortured for hours before being dumped at a hospital with serious injuries.
Other alleged offences include attacks on Samlidis’ family home, an attempted kidnapping in Wollert and a failed armed home invasion. Court documents suggest the assaults were coordinated through “taskers” who directed the youths and offered payment for carrying out the violence.
Two 17-year-old boys and a 41-year-old man have been charged in connection with the incidents. Bail was refused after prosecutors described the alleged offending as exceptionally violent.
Those convicted could face life imprisonment under Victoria’s new “adult crime, adult time” laws, with the broader “bar wars” conflict now linked to more than 35 violent incidents across Melbourne’s hospitality sector.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
