Dean Contos: Real estate agent’s appeal dismissed for Milsons Point kidnapping

A real estate agent who kidnapped and attacked two cleaners in a horror five hour ordeal, in a violent incident triggered by stealing suspicions, has made a bid for an early release.

A man who turned himself into police after kidnapping and attacking two cleaners has had his appeal bid squashed by the NSW Supreme Court.

Milsons Point resident Dean Contos, 33, ambushed his two victims when they showed up to clean his Lavender St flat on February 20, 2019.

Contos’ mates Samuel Gerrey-Burgess and Pita Korovou, who participated in the kidnapping, pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and two counts of detaining in company. For these crimes, both Gerrey-Burgess and Korovou were convicted.

During his appeal bid, the Supreme Court heard Contos “instigated” the kidnapping after he became convinced his cleaner was stealing property from him.

The kidnapping and attack of the two victims took place over almost five and a half hours.

The Milsons Point apartment block where the kidnapping took place.

“(One of the cleaners) was repeatedly threatened and assaulted and received significant injuries including multiple broken ribs,” the court heard.

According to court documents, Contos enlisted the help of his two co-offenders who, along with Contos, greeted the cleaners at the Milsons Point apartment.

“(When) the victims entered the apartment … (Contos) forced the two victims to enter the empty bedroom.”

Inside this bedroom, the three offenders bashed one of the cleaners and demanded this victim return what he supposedly stole.

At one point, one of the co-offenders took the victim’s mobile phone and said, “you have beautiful kids and wife — if you want to see them again you have to pay $10,000,” the court heard.

When this cleaner said he had money at home, they rolled him up in a tarpaulin before taking this victim to his Lidcombe address.

Outside his house, the cleaner managed to speak to his wife in Korean, screaming “don’t open the door, call the police” before saying in English “can you open the door and get the ten thousand dollars,” court documents state.

In court, Contos, who previously pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated kidnapping, made an appeal bid on the grounds of the “marked disparity” between his sentence and those of his co-accused.

The defence said Contos — unlike Gerrey-Burgess and Korovou — believed one of the victims had stolen from him.

But the prosecution said there was no evidence the principal victim had stolen anything and he was not charged with doing so.

Justice Paul Brerton agreed with the initial decision and sentence imposed upon Contos.

“The applicant’s offending was serious,” Justice Brerton said.

“The applicant planned, instigated, and carried out the kidnapping, and enlisted the two co-offenders to assist.”

“He also was the first to assault the victim and prepared the room with the tarpaulin and other items,” Justice Brerton said.

For their crimes, Gerrey-Burgess and Korovou were sentenced in April 2020 to six years and four months jail, with a four year non-parole period.

In March 2021, Cantos was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 3 years and 10 months.

With his appeal bid denied, the earliest Cantos will be eligible to leave prison is in December.