Man pleads guilty to kidnapping children

A man kidnapped children and demanded a $1m ransom for their release, a court has heard.

A man kidnapped two young children from a Melbourne home and demanded a $1m ransom for their return, a court has heard.

Jiangang Ji has pleaded guilty to the offences, which the County Court of Victoria heard occurred in Blackburn North on the morning of August 23, 2021.

Mr Ji pleaded guilty to five charges, including kidnapping, aggravated burglary and theft of a motor vehicle, however has pleaded not guilty to three separate charges.

His trial for those three charges began before a jury on Wednesday afternoon.

Jiangang Ji stole two children and demanded $1m for their release, the County Court heard on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

In her opening address, Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the jury that on the morning in question, Mr Ji drove to the Blackburn North address in his red Camry sedan and waited out the front of the property for about an hour.

When a man left the house for work, she said Mr Ji entered the house illegally through a side window armed with a knife and secured a woman by binding her hands and feet and covering her mouth.

Ms Churchill said Mr Ji later called the man and demanded a $1m ransom after kidnapping his children, aged 5 and 8, in the family’s Mercedes.

The court heard Mr Ji was arrested that afternoon from his address in Mitcham as he tried to move the family car.

Defence lawyer Carmela Pezzimenti told the jury it was a “simple case” as far as the other three charges are concerned.

“He’s pleaded not guilty for one very important reason, because they didn’t happen,” Ms Pezzimenti said.

The trial, before County Court Judge Gabriele Cannon, continues.

Originally published as Man pleads guilty to kidnapping children