A disturbing new detail has emerged about the savage home invasion that saw a 60-year-old Melbourne man bashed repeatedly with a hammer, stabbed multiple times and shot in the arm — all of which was captured on CCTV footage.
Homeowner Kemal Akbulut was awoken about 1.30am on July 24 last year when five people — three adults, one 16-year-old boy and one 17-year-old boy — broke into his Gladstone Park home.
Mr Akbulut could be heard in the footage begging for his life, pleading with the attackers while they allegedly struck him repeatedly with a hammer and stabbed him as he lay on the ground.
“Please take what you want, I’ll give you whatever you want,” he can be heard screaming in the vision.
On Wednesday, “upsetting” CCTV of the incident was played in a children’s court as the 17-year-old appeared before a judge.
The teen, who cannot be named because of his age, sat in the dock flanked by police. His parents sat just metres away, in the front row of the courtroom as a magistrate warned those in attendance that the video would be confronting.
“This footage is incredibly confronting,” he said. “We’re about to play some CCTV footage of a very violent home invasion and it could be upsetting. If anyone would like to step out, feel free to do so.”
Prosecutors allege the video played for the court showed the 17-year-old entering the home and brandishing a gun. One shot caused the victims arm to be fractured, the court heard on Wednesday.
A previously unheard allegation about how many times the accused attempted to shoot Mr Akbulut was made public.
“I’m surprised there’s not a charge of attempted murder,” the magistrate told prosecutors.
“How many times was the gun pointed at the victim and failed to discharge?” he asked.
“Four times, your honour,” a prosecutor replied.
The 17-year-old has been charged with intentionally causing injury in circumstances of gross violence, a charge his lawyer told the court he has indicated he will plead guilty to.
“I have to acknowledge the grave nature of this offending,” the teen’s lawyer said after the video was played in court.
“It’s extremely grave,” the magistrate replied.
His lawyer told the court while five males were arrested over the violent home invasion, his client “was the first to accept responsibility”.
“The point is, he indicated willingness to plead guilty first.”
The other individuals arrested arrested include a 16-year-old from the Broadmeadows area, a 21-year-old Tarneit man, an 18-year-old Tarneit man and a 19-year-old Meadow Heights man.
The 16-year-old was previously charged with the murder of a teenager in Coburg North before being cleared because he was 13 at the time — an age deemed by a judge to be too young to be morally responsible.
Supreme Court Justice Rita Incerti said in her ruling in 2023: “I find the prosecution has not rebutted the presumption of doli incapax beyond reasonable doubt. He cannot be found guilty of murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter.”
Doli incapax is the legal principle that presumes that a child under 14 does not know their conduct is morally wrong. It is up to prosecutors to prove otherwise.
The teen, who cannot be named because of his age, was seen playing cards when he appeared in the children’s court in September over his alleged role in the Gladstone Park attack.
In court, the teen dressed in a black zip-up jacket which he pulled up over his mouth, wore a black beanie and appeared to be playing cards with a person off camera after his hearing began.
Asked if his name was correct and whether he could hear the magistrate, the teen did not speak but instead offered a thumbs up gesture.
Speaking after the attack, Mr Akbulut’s cousin Birsel Akbulut said the impact of what happened to him would be long lasting.
“Mentally, he’s never going to be the same again,” she said.
“Any little noise makes him remember (the home invasion).”
Speaking to 7News, she challenged the Premier Jacinta Allan to take a harder stance against youth crime.
“What have you done since then? How many more need to get hurt for you to take action?”
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