Sophie Bentley admits to role in horrific before-dawn hijacking

A young Illawarra woman who pinched a man’s keys as he was trying to escape a shocking shanghai will be sentenced later this year.

Sophie Bentley will be sentenced in Wollongong District Court later this year.

A young woman has pleaded guilty to her role in a terrifying before-dawn kidnapping in the Illawarra’s south last year.

Sophie Bentley, 21, appeared from custody via video link in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday where she pleaded guilty to kidnapping, with a further charge of robbery withdrawn.

Andrew William John Beer, Murraydjah Kirby, and Sinead Toni Fisher, are allegedly co-accused in the matter.

They are all yet to enter pleas.

Beer, 20, and Kirby, 21, are facing a plethora of charges including aggravated robbery, kidnapping and weapon offences while Fisher, 29, is charged with aggravated robbery and using corporal violence.

According to an agreed set of facts tendered to the court, Fisher added the victim on Snapchat on June 3, last year, and arranged to meet him at Albion Park skatepark at 4am on June 5.

The man drove to the skatepark to meet the woman in his Mazda ute, however shortly after she arrived in a Ford Focus and hopped in the passenger seat, two men – Beer and Kirby – allegedly took control of the situation.

Sophie Bentley pleaded guilty to kidnapping in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Facebook

The documents state the man tried to start the car, however, Bentley had pulled the keys out of the ignition.

“You messed with the wrong girl, that‘s my partner,” Beer is alleged to have yelled.

Beer and Kirby allegedly took tools out of the man’s ute and nicked his smartphone off the dashboard.

“If you just co-operate you won't get hurt,” Beer allegedly said as he pressed a knife against the victim.

“I'll stab you in the neck. Let’s go to yours and get your card and take every cent out of your bank.”

The man drove to his house where Beer and Kirby allegedly pocketed items including the man’s smartwatch, another smartphone and sunglasses.

“You better not say anything,” Beer allegedly said.

“We know your full name now and where you live.”

Murraydjah Kirby (pictured) and Andrew Beer are co-accused in the matter. Picture NSW Police

According to the documents, the man was forced to drive the pair to Dapto, however they made him pull over with Beer allegedly saying “take everything off him, take his f-----g shoes”.

The victim’s Nike Airforce Ones were removed before one of the males allegedly punched the victim several times in the face.

The man, who had sustained a split lip, bruising, grazing to his face and a cut on his right arm, was left stranded and sought assistance from a nearby farmhouse where the residents contacted police.

Later that day, the man’s ute was located on Liam Cl, Albion Park, which is about a kilometre from the victim’s home.

Fisher was arrested at an address in Avondale on June 6 where police found the Nike shoes, the victim’s phone as well as multiple tools on her Ford Focus.

Fisher allegedly told police she agreed to meet the man, but denied being involved in the robbery, telling them the three others just “turned up”.

Sinead Fisher allegedly told police she wasn’t involved in the robbery. Picture: Facebook

Beer was arrested on June 7 in Barrack Heights with Bentley arrested a week later in Koonawarra.

Bentley denied being involved in the offending, telling the police she was “tired”, had consumed ice at some time prior to the incident and was just sitting in the rear of Fisher’s car.

A warrant was issued for Kirby’s arrest after he didn’t report for parole. He was arrested at the Ingleburn Hotel on July 14.

Bentley will face Wollongong District Court next month where a date will be set for her sentencing.

Beer will appear in Wollongong Local Court later this month, while Fisher and Kirby will return to the same court in March.