Tanya Zimmermann and Michael Johnson face County Court for locking Alfredton man in caravan as hostage

A Ballarat man was tied up, hooded, and locked in a caravan by strangers while he was extorted for money in a brutal “nightmare” kidnapping.

The Ballarat Central NAB branch on the corner of Sturt and Windermere Sts, where a kidnapping was foiled. Picture: Google Maps

A Ballarat bank worker helped foil an “absolutely appalling” premeditated kidnapping where a Ballarat man was bound, beaten, and locked in a caravan for two days with a bucket for a toilet.

Ballarat residents Tanya Zimmermann, 40, and Michael Johnson, 38, faced County Court on Monday over a “nightmare” money-driven kidnapping in the regional city in early 2024.

The court heard on January 7 that Zimmermann — a drug-addicted former medical practice receptionist who was on bail — went to a man’s home in Alfredton, broke a window, and climbed inside.

She had previously been through his mailbox and discovered he had money in his bank account, and she had set up her own account in another person’s name just days prior.

The occupant of the home, a man in his 40s who lived alone, heard noise and confronted her.

Zimmermann claimed she was from Uniting Care and had come to perform a welfare check, and she temporarily repaired the broken window with cardboard, plastic, and tape.

She told the man she would arrange a glazier before leaving.

About 4am the next morning, Zimmermann — the “architect” of the unfolding criminal plan — and Johnson — the “muscle” — returned to the property, entered through the smashed window, and went into the victim’s bedroom.

They put a hood over the “hapless” resident’s head and bound his wrists and ankles with rope.

Zimmermann and Johnson entered their victim’s home through a window the former offender broke. Picture: File

The court heard Zimmermann held the man’s feet and “looked on and did nothing” as Johnson pushed him down on the bed until he could barely breathe, hit his face, and kneed him in the head and body when he refused, at first, to give the assailants his phone and bank codes.

While in the victim’s house, Johnson sent a text to someone he knew asking about the value of a replica oversized 20-cent coin, saying, “Can you research this” and “It’s about the size of my hand” before stealing the item.

After they had his information, the pair took $39,935 from the victim’s bank account and then, unbinding his ankles, led him semi-dressed into the back of a car.

Arriving at a home on McNulty Dr in Wendouree, they locked him in a caravan out the back and took off his hood and ropes.

Zimmermann gave the victim a bucket to use as a toilet and a walkie-talkie for getting in contact with her.

She also brought him food, bottled water, cigarettes, and a toothbrush and toothpaste.

In what led to the foiling of the plot, Zimmermann on January 10 brought the victim to the NAB branch on Sturt St in Ballarat Central so he could unlock his account and withdraw $100,000, saying she wanted a further $60,000 but Johnson was “being a real dick” and wanted $100,000 more.

The victim was said to have appeared “nervous” and “dishevelled” inside the Ballarat bank. Picture: File

He entered the bank alone, appearing nervous and dishevelled, and was taken to a private office.

But when the man requested the large withdrawal, the worker helping him thought “something didn’t feel right” and got a manager.

The “brutally assaulted” victim then told staff he had been kidnapped and held hostage, and that Zimmermann was waiting outside in a car.

The bank was closed, with shutters securing the entrance, and police arrived covertly.

Zimmermann had considered fleeing in the meantime but was arrested in her vehicle.

Despite the caravan being moved to a different property, Johnson and the third co-accused were later taken into custody as well.

Zimmermann was arrested outside the NAB branch. Picture: File

Photographs were tendered to the court showing “marked discolouration” of parts of the victim’s body.

Zimmermann’s lawyer Briana Proud submitted a report indicating the man suffered bruising and tenderness of the face and neck.

She pointed out there was no evidence of specific psychological damage, but Judge Frances Hogan said that “defied common sense”.

“There is no backing away from the terrible trauma,” she said.

“So frightened was this man, this skinny little man, who’s outnumbered by two or three at various times, that even when he gets a chance to get away from them and is in a room at the bank, he’s too scared to tell the bank officer what’s happening to him.

“Thank goodness the intelligent bank officer picks up on it and gets the manager, and what flowed did flow.”

Ms Proud also said Zimmermann showed a relative amount of care for the victim, but Judge Hogan rejected the suggestion as the routine of “the good cop and the bad cop”.

“What does she want, an Order of Australia for not causing him to be dehydrated or whatever over the course of three days?

“... Why should this man have to defecate or urinate in a bucket in a caravan with the windows locked? Why was he taken from his own home? Why was he put in this position in the first place?

“The fact that he wasn’t dehydrated is probably just as well because otherwise your client may well be facing a more serious charge.”

The court was not told how Zimmermann knew the victim had an association with Uniting Care, despite Judge Hogan asking about it.

Zimmermann and Johnson pleaded at County Court on Friday. Picture: File

On Monday, Johnson’s lawyer Daniel McGlone told the court his client - a cannabis and ice user - had embraced his Indigenous heritage after being placed in custody, saying he had been “rootless” and lacked a sense of identity.

“What’s been missing in his life is his Indigenous identity,” he said.

But Judge Hogan said that should not necessarily mean he had lived a disadvantaged life.

“This has happened because your client’s an addict and he’s desperate,” she said.

“... If there’s disadvantage, someone is entitled to have it taken into account whether they are or are not Indigenous.

“But to simply say, ‘Well I’m Indigenous and therefore every disadvantage I suffer should in effect attract the principles of [mitigation], it’s just not what the law says.

“What I take issue with is this globalisation of colonisation and therefore all Indigenous people are disadvantaged - there must be evidence upon which the court can act.”

The court heard Johnson made a statement that helped prevent the case from going to trial, although Judge Hogan said his comments were “not a full and frank revelation” and that he left out the “most brutal parts”.

Prosecutor Glenn Mohammed said the crime was only detected “by chance” and thanks to the “diligence” of the bank officer.

“Clearly [the victim] was kept for two days and there was no knowledge that he had been kidnapped,” he said.

“The police weren’t aware of it; no one had notified him as missing.

“He was simply taken and kept for two days”

He said “we can’t say” how long it would have been until someone realised the victim was missing.

Mr Mohammed said Zimmermann and Johnson had poor prospects of rehabilitation.

Zimmermann pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, theft, kidnapping, possessing methamphetamine and a summary matter of driving a car without number plates.

Johnson pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, theft, and kidnapping.

As of February 28, Zimmermann had spent 279 days in custody, and Johnson 413 days.

Both were remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

A third accused will face court in April.