Heidelberg West alleged teen murderer attempts to get bail

A teenager who was charged with murder and kidnapping after the death of a 25-year-old man in Heidelberg West is fighting for bail.

An alleged teen killer is hoping to be freed from jail after he was charged with the kidnapping and murder over the death of a man at a house in Heidelberg West.

The 17-year-old boy was one of 10 teenagers charged over the death of 25-year-old Thomastown man Khalid Mahat, who died after he was stabbed in October last year.

Prosecuting lawyer Mr Johnson told the court that the boy’s home was the site of the beginning of the series of events that led to Mr Mahat’s death.

“It was his house that was the subject of an initial intimidation, where a number of people that had arrived in a white car… one was the deceased,” he said.

The Supreme Court heard the accused’s sister called police to the property in response to the incident, and he told police that he and his friends were going to “find” the men.

“This was the motive for this series of events that resulted in the death, which are particularly acute in relation to this applicant,” Mr Johnson said.

Khalid Mahat, 25, died after he was allegedly stabbed to death at a home in Heidelberg West on October 16 2022.

CCTV footage collected from the street where Mr Mahat was murdered could not determine whether the accused participated in the assault, but fingerprint evidence linked him to one of the weapons.

“There was a hammer that we saw (in footage) being held by one of the males, this was subsequently found in the red car and this applicant’s fingerprints were located on the hammer,” prosecuting lawyer Mr Johnson said.

“The autopsy report of the deceased indicated that there was a blunt force trauma injury that was consistent with a blow from a hammer.”

The court heard that multiple offenders allegedly assaulted and kidnapped Mr Mahat at Bundoora Park before driving to the Heidelberg West property where the murder occurred.

The group then drove to Edgars Creek in Coburg and disposed of several items in the water.

The day after the alleged murder incident, the accused purchased a plane ticket overseas alongside one of the other co-accused teens.

But according to the accused’s father, this was to visit his family and the accused returned as soon as he found out he was wanted by police in Australia, where he was arrested at Melbourne airport.

The court heard multiple co-accused were in custody together at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre but the bail applicant had established himself as a “leader figure in the group”.

North Western youth justice case manager Christopher Saxton said the accused had made concerning comments while in custody overheard by staff.

“He’s made comments around expecting to end up in Port Phillip (prison)… letting other people know that they have nothing to worry about and he is looking after everything,” Mr Saxton said.

Malmsbury staff also found a makeshift knife under the accused‘s bed.

A decision on the accused’s bail application will be made next week.