28-05-2025
Man jailed for threatening workers at Wodonga, Wangaratta tobacco stores
A Melbourne man has been sentenced to at least 18 months jail after threatening workers at two north-east tobacco stores.
Doreen man Ahmad Al Essawi, 23, pleaded guilty to a string of charges in the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Wednesday, including two extortion offences and possessing a fake firearm.
On July 4, 2023, Al Essawi and an unidentified co-accused entered a Wodonga tobacco store where Al Essawi threatened a worker that he would burn down the store in 24 hours if it was still open.
Later that day he also threatened a worker at a Wangaratta tobacco store that there was "going to be big, big headaches for this shop" if it was still open in 24 hours' time.
Both stores were significantly damaged by fire during the early hours of July 27, 2023, according to documents tendered to the court.
The worker threatened at the Wangaratta store was trapped inside the business at the time it was burnt and was rescued by firefighters.
Al Essawi was not before the court on any arson charges.
On Wednesday, Magistrate Ian Watkins delivered his sentence and called Al Essawi's actions "brutal and calculated offending".
"Overall I assess your moral culpability as high."
Magistrate Watkins sentenced Al Essawi to two years jail with a non-parole period of 18 months.
He was also fined for several drug possession and traffic offences.
Last week the court was read a victim impact statement from the tobacco shop worker at Wangaratta.
The female worker said she began losing her hair due to stress after the incident.
The court was told she also had shingles on three occasions and experienced a resurgence of skin cancer.
The woman told the court she had become "hypervigilant" and was afraid to be alone for extended periods of time.
She also told the court she was scared to bring her grandson to her home after the incident and no longer had a social life.
Magistrate Watkins referenced the woman's victim impact statement during his sentencing remarks on Wednesday.
"The victim in Wangaratta described the trauma she experienced," he said.
