Dylan Elias Iliopoulos and father Elias Iliopoulos inflict ‘nightmare’ on blackmailed business owner

A business owner was left traumatised and with nightmares after a man and his “misguided” father violently blackmailed him after a work deal went sour.

A business owner who was ambushed and blackmailed by a father and son at his warehouse was left with nightmares after the violent incident, a court heard.

Dylan Elias Iliopoulos, 30, and his father Elias Iliopoulos, 57, forced a terrified Gary Doody to transfer over $25,000 after a work deal went sour.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Doody said his business had suffered immensely because of the crime and his injuries meant he was unable to hold his second grandchild who was born three days after.

Mr Doody said the anger he felt over the incident caused him to have violent nightmares.

“I would scream out and thrash about during the night,” he said.

Dylan Iliopoulos was found guilty of blackmail. Photo: Facebook

Dylan Iliopoulos was found guilty of blackmail. Photo: Facebook

During the trial in March, James Meegan, for the prosecution, told the court that Mr Doody ran a business called Active Recreations Solutions, which specialised in building playgrounds.

The court heard Mr Doody was looking for some extra workers in 2020 and Dylan contacted him after he placed an advertisement on Seek.

Dylan and another man then started working for Mr Doody who contracted them to a job for the Naracoorte Council.

The court heard Mr Doody travelled to Naracoorte and saw things weren’t progressing well and was told by someone in the council that they weren’t happy with the work.

Mr Doody sent the men a text message on November 9, 2020 saying their working relationship was over and to send him an invoice for what they believed they were owed.

The court heard Mr Doody was alone in his Edwardstown warehouse on November 12, 2020 when Dylan and Elias arrived.

Mr Meegan said Mr Doody fell over and Dylan and Elias held him down, before he was forced to transfer Dylan $25,000.

The court heard Elias asked Mr Doody if he knew what he did for a living, which he replied he didn’t.

“And Elias said that this is what he did for a living; that he goes around and gets money from builders who don’t pay,” Mr Meegan said.

Dylan also stole Mr Doody’s phone.

The court heard Mr Doody was taken to hospital with cuts on his face, swelling in his wrist and suffered a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder.

Dylan and Elias were found guilty by a jury of blackmail, with Dylan also found guilty of theft.

During sentencing submissions on Wednesday, Joseph Henderson, for Elias, told the court said his client still maintained his innocence.

Mr Henderson said Elias’ role in the offending was of a “misguided” father doing what he thought was in the best interest of his son, who was the most important thing in his life.

“When he’s told about this inapparent justice … in terms of not being paid for work that’s been undertaken … there's this misguided decision to go along and assist,” he said.

“There was no evidence of any pre meditation.”

Mr Henderson pushed for a suspended or home detention sentence, saying Elias had a lesser role in the offending and due to health conditions which would be harder to manage in custody.

Dylan’s sentencing submissions were adjourned until next month.