Joseph Wakim sentenced for torching car, pouring petrol trail to home with young family inside

A court has heard chilling details into a young tradie’s involvement in torching a car outside a western Sydney family home, before he poured a petrol trail to another house with a young family still inside.

A Canterbury-Bankstown carpenter intended to cause “psychological injury” when he poured a petrol trail to a western Sydney house with a family inside.

Joseph Wakim, 18, was supported by his family when he faced Blacktown Local Court on Monday.

The court was told Wakim, who had only celebrated his 18th birthday four months prior to the incident, was involved with another person in the torching of a car outside a Concord West home about 10.35pm on November 5, 2023.

A young family were inside the house at the time.

The wife was the one to discover their car in flames, but Wakim and his assailant had already fled the scene and were headed to a second house in Lalor Park, where another family were living.

Joseph Wakim, 18, covered his face as he left Blacktown Local Court.

Wakim was recorded on CCTV at the Lalor Park home unscrewing a can of petrol and walking down their driveway, pouring the liquid as he went.

The court was told there was then an altercation, and Wakim and his co-offender were chased by one of the residents inside the house.

This man caught up to Wakim and brutally attacked him, leaving him with serious injuries that required surgery the next day.

Lawyer AJ Karim tendered images of Wakim’s injuries after the incident, which he said served as “extra-curial punishment” for his client.

Joseph Wakim, 18, covered his face as he left Blacktown Local Court.

He said his client’s only motive for the crimes was “financial gain”, but Magistrate Debra Maher said this was a “weak” and “unconvincing” sole motivation, given Wakim risked several people’s lives.

“I sit in this court every day ... I do not accept the explanation he has given,” she said.

The court was told it was not clear what Wakim’s role was in the initial torching of the car, other than to just be present.

Mr Karim said this case “strikes at the heart of youth” and that he could not explain Wakim’s actions otherwise.

He said his client had since stopped talking with the co-offender and was now working full time as a carpenter, with plans to one day have his own business. He also tendered a handwritten letter from Wakim expressing his remorse.

Wakim pleaded guilty to destroy property in company using fire over the value of $5000 and damage property by fire with intent to injure.

He was sentenced to a 10 month intensive correction order to be served in the community.

Wakim and his supporters all covered their faces as they left the court house.