Lochlan Nixon-May: Man sentenced over Wodonga kidnapping and assault

A judge has sentenced a young thug who helped execute a terrifying kidnapping and seriously assault a man in Wodonga over a small drug debt.

Lochlan Nixon-May. Photo: Supplied

A former teenage gang member who was involved in kidnapping a person and seriously assaulting him over a $50 drug debt has dodged further time in prison.

Lochlan Nixon-May, 20, was sentenced over the December 2020 incident in the County Court on Monday.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to eight charges, including false imprisonment, kidnapping, drug trafficking and intentionally causing injury, and had admitted his criminal record.

The court heard the victim, who had previously considered himself to be an acquaintance of Nixon-May and the co-accused, Scott Coates, had been “socialising” with friends at a Wodonga address on the evening of December 17, 2020.

The court heard a friend of the victim’s contacted Coates on Snapchat and organised for him to drop off three grams of cannabis, for which the victim would pay for.

Nixon-May and Coates arrived at the address with the cannabis just after 8am the following day and the friend explained to them the victim had fallen asleep and had forgotten to pay.

He led Nixon-May and Coates, who the court heard “was angry he had not been paid”, into the garage where the victim was asleep in an armchair.

The two accused then began punching and kicking the victim, who made several attempts to escape but was “forced back into the chair” for the assault to continue.

The court heard Nixon-May held the victim in the garage while Coates retrieved a machete from their car, before demanding the victim direct them to his house.

The victim was restrained and duct-tape applied to his mouth, neck, hands and feet as the pair ransacked the victim’s house.

At one point Coates told the victim: “You and all your mates are cut off from ever buying drugs in this town again. If I ever so much as hear you’ve bought a stick, I’ll come back.”

After throttling the victim for about 30 seconds, Coates requested a knife of Nixon-May, who produced one from his waistband.

Coates then carved his initials into the victim’s thigh to “send a message … not to f*** with the slump gang”.

The still-restrained victim was then dragged into the bedroom while it was ransacked and an electric guitar stolen.

Coates then forced the victim to sign a receipt he had written indicating he had sold his Holden Commodore to him for $1000.

This car was then loaded up with more than 90 items stolen from the house, including video game consoles, accessories, games, jewellery, clothing and accessories, while the house was left with substantial damage.

Lochlan Nixon-May has been sentenced over the terrifying incident.

Nixon-May and Coates “beat” the victim again before leaving—punching, kicking and stomping on his torso and head.

The victim suffered a laceration beside his eye which required stitches, a fractured rib and cuts, “extreme bruising and swelling”.

Judge David Sexton said the victim had developed anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder as a result of the incident and the crime had affected his confidence and relationships.

The court heard Nixon-May had a history of “profound childhood deprivation, disadvantage and trauma” and had “long standing” drug and alcohol and mental health issues.

The court heard also Nixon-May later claimed Coates was “in charge” of him through his role in what was termed the “Slump Gang”— which the court heard was a group of about 10 of Coates’ friends.

He also told police he was taking orders from a “violent and unpredictable” Coates, but could not remember the offending.

Judge Sexton said this could be explained somewhat by the fact he was “seriously assaulted” by Coates in the hours after the offending and was admitted to Albury’s intensive care unit.

“That the trigger of this outrageous behaviour appears to be merely a $50 drug debt beggars belief,” Judge Sexton said.

“Through your involvement in this offending you collectively displayed behaviour which was threatening, dominating and showed a complete disregard for [the victim] and concerningly featured aspects of cruelty and torture, particularly with regard to carving the letters into his leg.”

Yet he said Nixon-May was now drug free and a “very different man” who was to be “commended” for his “extraordinary” efforts towards rehabilitation.

While Coates was sentenced to 11 months in prison, followed by a community corrections order, in March, Judge Sexton said the circumstances differed.

Nixon-May was sentenced to 77 days imprisonment that had previously been served, meaning he would not be sent back to prison.

He was also ordered to complete a community corrections order, that would continue to foster his rehabilitation, for two years.