Sam Leighton, William Armor, Valeria McCauley charged over kidnapping, torture of Bendigo man

A Bendigo man was allegedly stabbed 17 times and tortured in a revenge attack after his alleged attacker learned the victim romanced his girlfriend while he was locked up, a court has heard

Alleged Bendigo kidnapping, torture: Sam Leighton, Valeria McCauley charged. Picture: Supplied.

A jealous Bendigo jailbird allegedly tortured a man — whom he stabbed 17 times — as part of a wild revenge plot, getting back at the man who hooked up with his girlfriend while he was sitting in the slammer.

It comes as Samuel Leighton, 31, William Armor, 34, and a third co-accused — who remains on the run — allegedly kidnapped a 31-year-old Bendigo man on June 9 in a jealous rage.

Sam Leighton was charged with kidnapping at Bendigo in an alleged wild jealous attack. Picture: Supplied.

Police allege the attack was a result of the man being romantically involved with Mr Leighton’s girlfriend Valeria McCauley, 34 — who was also charged in relation to the alleged attack — while Mr Leighton was locked up in prison.

The three men allegedly beat the man, with Mr Leighton accused of holding a 30cm knife to his face, demanding he unlock his mobile phone.

When he refused, Mr Leighton allegedly stabbed him 17 times in the hips and legs.

The three men then took him to Ms McCauley’s Kangaroo Flat home where they allegedly continued the “callous, cowardly and prolonged imprisonment and torture”, Detective Senior Constable Ash Sutton told Bendigo Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Leighton allegedly texted Ms McCauley that they were on their way and that the man was “about to be put down a mine shaft”.

Police allege Ms McCauley waited for the men to arrive and joined in the brutal beating.

It’s also alleged the group forcefully poured GHB down the victim’s throat, with Mr Leighton threatening to throw boiling water on him.

Valeria McCauley was allegedly romantically involved with the alleged victim while Mr Leighton was in jail Picture: Supplied.

Mr Leighton also allegedly poured petrol in a water pistol and doused the man in the accelerant before he threatened to set him alight.

CCTV footage allegedly showed three men dragging the alleged victim into the home before they later carried out his unconscious body — wrapped in a blanket — and put him in a car.

Emergency services found the alleged victim dumped in bushland on Anderson St, Long Gully with a body temperature of 30.2 degrees.

Ms McCauley applied for bail for the second time on Thursday, which police opposed.

Detective Sutton said the alleged victim was “extremely fearful” that Ms McCauley — along with her co-accused Mr Armor, who is on bail, and a third co-accused on the run from police — will “seek him out and seriously harm him or kill him” out of “retribution”.

William Armor was also charged with kidnapping at Bendigo. Picture: Supplied.

Ms McCauley’s lawyer Alexis Buckley argued she should be released because of delays in the case that could result in her being in custody for more than a year before facing trial.

Ms Buckley said Ms McCauley had not been involved in the planning of the alleged kidnapping and implied that Mr Leighton’s threats were meant to coerce and intimidate her, arguing she was also a victim of his jealous rage.

But police argued that Ms McCauley knew exactly what was going on and was an active participant.

“The accused have proven they are a significant and dangerous risk to the public,” detective Sutton said.

“They are all complicit and involved in the entire ordeal.”

Magistrate Dominic Lennon said Ms McCauley had allegedly “joined in” on beating the man after becoming aware of his injuries while he bled out on her kitchen floor.

“This (alleged) victim was very lucky to get out alive,” he said.

Mr Lennon refused Ms McCauley’s bail bid, finding her to be an unacceptable risk.