A violent crime spree across Melbourne’s west and north has led to guilty pleas from two gang members involved in multiple carjackings and a brutal knife-point assault. One of the offenders, armed with a machete, raped a woman in a park in Melbourne’s west after robbing her of her phone and money. The attack, which occurred in November last year, left the victim deeply traumatised, leading her to move interstate to escape the horror of the event.
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The two men also carried out a savage crime spree on a single day, targeting several victims. Their first carjacking occurred outside a laundrette in Melton, but they fled after being unable to drive the manual car. They then successfully carjacked another man’s Toyota Corolla in Melton South.
Later that day, the pair attempted to carjack a luxury vehicle, injuring the owner in the process, and robbed a factory in Altona North, stealing cash, jewellery, and a gold statue.
Their spree continued when they confronted two 16-year-old boys walking near Bellbridge Reserve in Hoppers Crossing. Armed with a machete, one of the offenders threatened to kill the teens, stabbing one who refused to hand over his phone. The boy was left with a punctured lung. In court, the victim’s mother gave a harrowing account of the panic she felt after receiving a call that her son had been stabbed. She rushed to his side, holding him as paramedics worked to stabilise him.
One of the offenders protested in court when told he could be placed on the sex offenders register, claiming it would ruin his life. He later stormed out of the court link, refusing to return. Both men will face sentencing at a later date.
