Dean Thomas Coyle, 37, was granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
An electrical company director who allegedly claimed he was known for cutting off fingers has been granted bail.
Dean Thomas Coyle, 37, was arrested with 29-year-old Brenton Joseph James Monteleone and 31-year-old Sadock Nibizi over allegations they took a man hostage after the latter incurred a $200,000 debt for electrical work.
All were initially refused bail in September.
It is alleged the trio agreed to meet the man at the Garran shops on 21 September before threatening him verbally and with a baseball bat to recover a business debt, an ACT Policing spokesperson said.
The trio allegedly confined the man in a vehicle and travelled to his home in Garran, then later to Monash.
The ACT Magistrates Court heard Mr Coyle was accused of holding the baseball bat to the man’s chest and telling him, “You need to pay, otherwise there’s going to be consequences”.
“We know where your son works. We are going to front him tomorrow,” Mr Coyle also allegedly said.
Police found both the man and the trio in Monash, and the latter were arrested.
The Magistrates Court has heard the alleged victim owed a lawful debt to Mr Coyle, who is the director of one electrical company and the co-director of another, relating to electrical work worth about $200,000.
The court also heard the allegations essentially described a hostage situation.
The trio spent time in custody before Mr Monteleone was the first to get bail, followed by Mr Nibizi on 15 October. Mr Coyle applied for bail again in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday (22 October).
The prosecutor, who opposed bail, alleged Mr Coyle made numerous threats to the man about his family and also made other comments, such as about how he has been known for cutting off fingers.
Mr Coyle’s barrister, Anthony Williamson SC, said his client claimed he hadn’t been given a number of his prescribed medications for his medical conditions while in custody.
He said his client had no prior criminal history, was a “loving family man,” and that the consequences of his ongoing incarceration would have a domino effect on his family and businesses.
Magistrate Ian Temby agreed with Mr Williamson’s description of how the allegations described “a menacing series of events”, and he thought the alleged threats were serious.
But the magistrate said the question for him was whether bail conditions could reduce the risks of Mr Coyle’s release. In his view, they could, and he granted bail.
Magistrate Temby also said the range of threats alleged to be made were not all carried out, which made him wonder if the threats were real.
Sadock Nibizi, 31, was granted bail on 15 October. Photo: Albert McKnight.
When Mr Nibizi applied for bail on 15 October, the court heard he was alleged to be the driver for the trio and was present when Mr Coyle threatened the man.
The prosecutor, who opposed bail, alleged that although the debt involved Mr Coyle, all three defendants decided to get involved in the incident, and the debt was still outstanding.
But Mr Nibizi’s lawyer, Sian Jowitt of Fraser Criminal Law, said her client was clearly not the more involved party on the allegations.
She said her client moved from Tanzania 10 years ago and has been supporting his parents in Wollongong.
Magistrate Alexandra Burt accepted the allegations accused the three men of taking the matter into their own hands instead of going through legal channels and said she didn’t know to what extent Mr Nibizi had “any skin in the game in relation to the debt”.
But she said he was not alleged to be the main aggressor and thought strict bail conditions could ameliorate the risks of his release.
The bail conditions for Mr Coyle and Mr Nibizi included not contacting the alleged victim or his family, each other or Mr Monteleone. They also cannot enter Garran or Monash.
Mr Coyle was allowed an exception to contact the alleged victim through lawyers regarding payment of the money owed.
He was charged with making demands accompanied by threats to endanger health, while Mr Monteleone and Mr Nibizi were charged with making a demand with a threat to endanger health by joint commission. The matters return to court later this year.
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