Armin Nickhesal allegedly robbed an Uber driver at knifepoint at Pooraka
A man who moved to Australia to pursue his boxing career allegedly held a knife to an Uber driver’s throat before robbing him in a terrifying encounter.
Police & Courts
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A boxing champion allegedly robbed an Uber driver at knifepoint, while his co-accused stole his phone, a court has heard.
Armin Nickhesal, 30, applied for bail by video link from custody in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, allegedly the main instigator of the terrifying robbery.
A prosecutor said they were opposed to anything less than home detention bail, due to the seriousness of the allegations.
“The victim was an Uber driver,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard the driver picked up Nickhesal’s co-accused, Mohammad Mohammadi, 37, from a Pooraka address in the early hours of May 29.
“He’s (the Uber driver) then attended an address where another male (Nickhesal) walked outside … and he got in the front seat of the vehicle,” the prosecutor said.
“A flick knife was held to the victim’s throat.”
The court heard Nickhesal allegedly demanded money and Mohammadi took the driver’s phone.
Police searched a Ridleyton address and found the driver’s iPhone, as well as seizing the knife that was allegedly used in the robbery.
“The victim is concerned for his safety,” the prosecutor said.
Nickhesal, of Ridleyton, and Mohammadi, of Pooraka, are charged with committing theft using force,
Eleanor Whish-Wilson, for Nickhesal, told the court the alleged victim said the knife found at the house was not the one used in the robbery
“The complainant does not identify my client in the line-up,” she said.
“The co-accused made admissions to taking the telephone of the Uber driver but says my client was not involved in any way.”
The court heard Nickhesal moved to Australia from Iran in 2013.
“He came to Australia because he is an accomplished boxer, a boxing champion,” Ms Whish-Wilson said.
“However he is currently injured.”
Ms Whish-Wilson said home detention bail should not be required as she believed it was a weak prosecution case.
Magistrate David McLeod said he would only grant home detention bail and ordered a report.
The application was adjourned until next week.