Man found dead in Wyong unit, woman allegedly kidnapped and held hostage

A man has been found dead and a woman severely burned when it is alleged they were kept prisoner in a Central Coast apartment. A hairdresser and her new lover have been charged over the incident.

Forensic police begin their investigation of the death and alleged kidnapping at a Wyong unit. Picture: Daily Telegraph/ Gaye Gerard

A hairdresser and her new lover allegedly kept two people prisoner in their Wyong unit for up to three days while he bashed and tortured them with a jet flame in an incident detectives believe was sparked by a bad drug debt.

The death of Sean Froggatt, 52, only came to light when a woman he was allegedly being detained with managed to escape and called for help.

Despite suffering serious burns to her chest and arms, the brave woman allegedly managed to break free and run to a friend’s house, where she called police and begged them to go and check on Mr Froggatt, who was found dead in a bedroom.

Police said the alleged ordeal began on Thursday when Mr Froggatt and the woman went to a Levett St unit where hairdresser Bonnie Cullen, 33 and her boyfriend Daniel Hasapis, 30, lived.

Neighbours told The Daily Telegraph they saw all four people at the unit on the evening of Australia Day, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Sean Froggatt, 52, died in what police allege

was a three-day kidnapping ordeal in a Wyong unit.

“I walked past them that night, just said “Hey bro to Sean, but it all seemed ok...that’s why I’m just so shocked now this has all come out,” one neighbour said.

“Bonnie lived downstairs, Sean was upstairs...he used to visit her a bit, like mates.”

But police will allege that during the 72-hours the two people were inside the housing commission unit rented to Cullen, Hasapis fatally bashed and tortured Mr Froggatt, then hid his body in a bedroom.

Hasapis is also accused of kidnapping and holding the woman against her will.

He was arrested on Saturday night, just hours after the injured woman raised the alarm, and taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged on Sunday with murder and kidnapping.

Cullen, who moved to the Central Coast about three years ago from Queensland and had recently started dating Hasapis, was charged with concealing a serious offence.

Daniel Hasapis has been charged with murder and kidnap.

Bonnie Cullen has been charged with concealing a serious offence.

Police do not allege she was involved in the death of Mr Froggatt or the alleged kidnapping of the woman.

Cullen was arrested at a house in neighbouring Watanobbi late on Saturday night, where she had gone to visit a relative.

One shocked neighbour said he kept sending text messages to Mr Froggatt on Friday and Saturday when he hadn’t seen him around the unit complex.

“Sean’s lived here for 13 years, we see him every day. So I was sending him messages, ‘Bro where you at?’, but getting nothing...now I find out he was probably dead then,” a neighbour said.

Mr Froggatt, who suffered from epilepsy and lived with a carer, was well-known at the complex.

“He was a larrikin...gentle as, it’s just so sad,” Kylie Terry said.

“He wouldn’t hurt anyone...he had this beautiful head of hair, not a single grey. RIP Sean,” she said.

Police seen at the unit block in Wyong. Picture:Gaye Gerard

Investigations are ongoing into the incident. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Residents said the woman who managed to escape and alert police to the alleged crime lived nearby and often visited friends in the building.

She was treated in hospital for burn injuries, and released on Sunday afternoon.

NSW Police Superintendent Chad Gillies was quick to reassure the public that the incident was not “random” and that all four people were known to each other and also to the police.

“It’s a very distressing incident...for everyone involved. But the community can be assured it’s not random,” he said.

The Daily Telegraph has been told police will allege a jet lighter flame was used to burn the woman and Mr Froggatt, and that detectives believe the ordeal was sparked by a drug debt.

Supt Gillies said Mr Froggatt was suffering injuries that were consistent with a physical assault.

“We will allege he suffered those physical injuries after an altercation with the male person at that address,” he said.

Residents said the unit complex is well-known for its drug problems, and is known as “ice palace”.

“A lot of bad stuff goes on in here...but this is next level. Poor Sean, I just can’t believe he was right under our noses and we had no idea he was there and we could of helped him,” a distressed neighbour said.

Hasapis and Cullen were both denied bail and are due to face Wyong Local Court today.