Nicos Neophytou: Earlwood man sentenced for intimidating workers at Inline Body Works mechanic at St Peters

In a terrifying series of phone calls and texts, a disgruntled former employee of a car mechanic business threatened to burn the store down and break the business owner’s face, a court has heard.

Nicos Neophytou leaving Newtown Local Court.

In a terrifying series of phone calls and texts, a disgruntled former employee of an Inner West car mechanic business threatened to burn the store down and break the business owner’s face, a court has heard.

Earlwood man Nicos Neophytou, 60, appeared at Newtown Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of intimidation with the intention of causing others to fear physical or mental harm.

Agreed police facts tendered to court lay out how Neophytou, a spray painter, found himself threatening the receptionist and owner of Inline Body Works, a car mechanic at St Peters, because he alleged the company owed him $3500.

Neophytou finished working for the company in 2019, when his employment was terminated, and didn’t have contact with the car mechanics until December 2022, a court heard.

Police facts state he first called the St Peters business on December 5, 2022, and told both the receptionist and owner he was owed $3500.

Nicos Neophytou leaving Newtown Local Court.

“(When the owner) inquired as to why he thought that, (Neophytou) would not elaborate and became aggressive over the phone,” police facts state.

He then called the owner’s personal mobile phone multiple times in the following days demanding money he was allegedly owed.

Nicos Neophytou.

On December 15, after the owner explained why he was not entitled to any money, Neophytou said “I’m going to burn the place down” and “don’t forget I know where you live”, a court heard.

“(On) the same day, (the owner) received a phone call from (Neophytou) who stated, “It’s Nick, I’ve had enough of your bulls**t, I want my money … If I don’t get it by Friday, I’m going to burn your shop, I’m gonna come down with heavys and break your face, I know where you live”,” court documents state.

In a separate text message sent that day, he also stated “you will all rot in hell” and “I’m not done yet”, a court heard.

In court, Neophytou’s lawyer said his client was “blowing off steam” and made the threats because he was under financial pressure after he had lost his savings in a separate Ponzi scheme.

But Magistrate Lisa Stapleton said the offences were serious and she considered the threat to burn a business down the second most serious type of threat — behind threatening to kill.

“It terrifies individuals, their heart rate goes up, they go home every night thinking they can smell smoke et cetera,” Ms Stapleton said.

However, she also told the court Neophytou had not committed any other offences lately and was described as reliable and a man of integrity in character references tendered to court.

For his offences, Neophytou was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order.