Muhannad Qaqish: Bossley Park man busted in revenge plot against hire car owner

When a man’s hire car broke down a series of furious texts – “you don’t know who I am” – were unleashed on the owner. When the replacement car ultimately arrived, it was soon “lost” at a scrap metal yard in an act of revenge.

After being left in the lurch when his hire car broke down, a raging Bossley Park man threatened to ‘destroy’ the owner. When he ultimately received a replacement car, he sold it to a scrap metal yard and told the owner the vehicle had been lost.

Panel beater Muhanned Qaqish was left stranded in Gosford on May 28 when a car he hired for $1500 broke down.

After an initial struggle to contact the owner — who advised him to call GIO — he was told the policy had expired, the court heard.

That was when Qaqish snapped, sending texts to the owner of the car, including:

“You don’t know who I am and don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Muhannad Qaqish leaving Fairfield Local Court today. Qaqish was convicted of intimidation, fraud, and stealing a motor vehicle after attempting to sell a hire car to a scrap yard. Picture: Paul Brescia

“I can’t wait to destroy every f***ing car you own dog.

“I’m going to send some friends around … I’m on my way to Wolli Creek to get ready and destroy everything you own.”

Qaqish’s lawyer told the court their client had no intention to carry out the threats.

But that wasn’t the end of Qaqish’s retaliation against the man, the court heard.

When a replacement car was provided to him — a Nissan Tiida — he sold it directly to a scrap metal yard, agreed facts tendered to court reveal.

Before selling it, Qaqish called the owner of the car and told him he had lost it.

But the Bossley Park man didn’t realise the car had a GPS tracker on it, letting his victim track it back to the scrap yard it was sold to, calling police to verify it was his.

“Fortunately, the car could be retrieved, and the car owner was not out of pocket,” Magistrate Stuart Devine said.

Although Qaqish pleaded guilty to steal motor vehicle, fraud, and intimidation, Mr Devine said he was distinctly lacking in contrition.

“He’s adamant that the victim is the cause to blame,” he said.

The court heard of Qaqish’s past convictions, including for common assault, breaking and stealing property, and breaching apprehended violence orders.

Mr Devine noted Qaqish was willing to seek treatment for his drug, alcohol, and anger issues, and ordered him to attend a residential rehabilitation program.

He was given a nine month jail sentence, to be served in the community, with the condition that if he leaves the rehabilitation program he will be reported to parole authorities immediately.