Hamza El-Leissy: alleged Thomastown shooter bail application refused over ‘risk to public’

The man allegedly involved in the shooting and attempted firebombing of a Thomastown home has had his last bid at freedom ahead of a County Court trial.

Hamza EL-Leissy pleaded not guilty in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to the alleged shooting and molotov cocktail attack on a Thomastown home in early 2023. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A Craigieburn man who was allegedly involved in a Thomastown shooting has begged for freedom after spending almost a year behind bars.

Hamza El-Leissy, 23, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on February 23, facing a string of charges after allegedly firing shots in a “targeted attack” on a home in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

In the second part of his bail application, the court heard Mr El-Leissy’s mental health had suffered over the time he had already spent behind bars.

His lawyer Phillip Dunn KC, told the court his client had swallowed batteries twice, requiring two operations to remove them from his stomach, which left him on suicide watch and that he had since been prescribed antidepressants.

“There’s all sorts of reasons one can see in his previous behaviour for why he may not be regarded as someone who has respected the law and behaved properly, but he’s not coping,” Mr Dunn said.

“He knows the consequences of breaking bail conditions, he has a home to go to, his mother is there, she loves him and she’ll look after him.”

Mr El-Leissy will remain behind bars, after his application for bail was denied, due to Magistrate Stephen Ballek

In the first part of the bail application on February 5, Mr El-Leissy’s mother, Hayam Ezzat, put her family home on the line as assurance for her son’s freedom, which would go alongside strict bail conditions including a GPS tracking device Mr El-Leissy would have to wear at all times.

Despite the case Mr Dunn put forward for his client, Magistrate Stephen Ballek refused Mr El-Leissy’s bail application, saying he wasn’t satisfied that the potential risk of Mr El-Leissy being released from custody could be curtailed by even the strictest of bail conditions.

“This is very, very serious offending, involving the use of firearms and a molotov cocktail at a residential premises in a short space of time,” Mr Ballek said.

“This is about the risk placed on the public.”

Mr EL-Leissy is alleged to have been involved in a shooting and firebombing of this Thomastown property alongside other serious driving charges. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The court also heard Mr El-Leissy entered a plea of not guilty for a spate of offending over January 23 and January 24 in 2023, including firearms charges relating to the alleged Thomastown attack, as well as hooning charges.

It is alleged Mr El-Leissy was identified by police through various criteria including matching CCTV footage and mobile phone footage, where he was shown to be wearing a distinctive pair of yellow Nike sneakers.

Police allege Mr El-Leissy was seen in video footage from his friend’s phone, where he was filmed driving at 229k/h on Sydney Rd in Campbellfield, just hours after the alleged Thomastown shooting.

The court heard Mr El-Leissy was allegedly wearing the same yellow shoes as seen in the video footage, which were later seized from his home.

Mr Ballek denied the bail application and ordered Mr El-Leissy to appear in court again on March 22 for a directions hearing.