Hassan Faour jailed for attempted robbery in Kogarah railway tunnel

A father in disguise attempted to rob a man of his pokies winnings with a plastic gun during a terrifying late night ordeal in a south Sydney railway tunnel.

Kogarah man Hassan Faour assaulted a victim in an underground walkway, attempting to rob him using a fake gun. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A Kogarah car detailer has been jailed for more than three years after he attempted to rob a man of his pokies winnings with a plastic firearm during a terrifying late night ordeal inside a railway tunnel.

Hassan Faour, 57, was sentenced in a NSW District Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty on the second day of his jury trial to assault with intent to rob armed with a dangerous weapon, and being armed with a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Faour was jailed for three years and six months with a non-parole two years.

Agreed facts tendered to court said the victim Him Kandel and his friend Ashesh Pandey went to Bank Tavern at Kogarah on May 7 last year where they played the poker machines until the hotel closed at 3am.

During the night, Pandey won money, which Faour saw because he too was playing the pokies until he left about 2.30am.

Faour was jailed in Downing Centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

He walked to his home, which is a short distance from the hotel, put on a black jacket and face mask, in an attempt to disguise his appearance.

Faour waited across the road until the friends left the hotel and followed them to a railway pedestrian underpass.

He said to them, “you guys are winning money. Give me the money“ and grabbed Kandel, placing his arm around his shoulder and pointed a plastic gun at him.

Kandel told Faour he didn’t have any money and showed him his empty wallet.

“I am local, don’t call the police,” Faour told Kandel. “I have seen you frequently in this area. I just want the money and then you can go home.”

Kandel yelled to his friend in Nepalese not to call police but he had already called triple 0.

Faour chased the men to the end of the tunnel and police arrived a short time later. He was arrested on May 18.

The court heard Faour had a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1983.

A psychological report stated Faour – who was born in Lebanon before moving to Sydney as a nine year old – had suffered traumas including the death of his mother and brother, and witnessed a death of a man in 2017.

At the time of his arrest, Faour was working in car detailing, which he had done for the past nine years. He was divorced with three adult children.

The court heard he had “complex medical health needs”, including stomach disease;

The court heard he had become a heavy ice user at age 30, self-medicating to cope with his past traumas. and had not been able to become drug free.

Faour said he had been awake for about three days and was under the influence of ice at the time.

Judge William Fitzsimmons said “clearly the victim would have been placed in considerable fear” given the use of the imitation firearm and involved “some planning” to disguise himself.

Judge Fitzsimmons accepted Faour had a traumatic childhood and witnessed difficult events but “did not accept Faour was remorseful and found it “disingenuous” given the timing of the guilty plea.

Faour will be eligible for release to parole on June 4, 2025.