John Panagiotou avoids jail for Oakleigh East aggravated burglary which left Duane Hutchings dead

A thug said he was “terrified” of being picked on in prison after he bashed a father who died following an Oakleigh East attack.

John Panagiotou avoided jail for his role in the Oakleigh East aggravated burglary.

A young thug who participated in an Oakleigh East aggravated burglary which left a father dead has begged for forgiveness.

John Panagiotou, 20, was sentenced in the County Court on Monday to a three-year community correction order after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and intentionally cause injury.

Panagiotou, armed with a baton, was one of six thugs including his brother who stormed their victim’s Clayton Rd home just before 5.30am on February 9, 2019.

The hot-headed gang raided the property to retrieve stolen DJ hire equipment which the owner had tracked to the home via a Gumtree ad.

Panagiotou clobbered his 46-year-old victim with the baton, the court was told.

Another thug discharged a sawn-off shotgun in Hutchings' face.

The thugs fled but returned to grab the DJ equipment before fleeing again.

A woman present during the aggravated burglary begged for permission to call an ambulance for Hutchings but she was denied.

Hutchings, a father of five, was later taken to hospital where he died.

Judge Wendy Wilmoth said the cause of death was a gunshot wound.

Hutchings was a friend of the woman who was visiting her during the attack and not involved with the equipment theft.

Duane Hutchings

Judge Wilmoth said the “extremely serious” aggravated burglary resulted in a “terrible tragedy”.

“Mr Hutchings had nothing to do with the theft … he was an innocent bystander,” Judge Wilmoth said.

The court heard Panagiotou wasn’t the “instigator” but he contributed by recruiting cronies Marc Amad and Ameer Farid Jarrar.

Panagiotou informed Amad of the planned “set up” which he said would be “fun”, the court was told.

Panagiotou was a talented soccer player who was pursuing a professional career however he turned to booze and drugs after a knee-injury ended his dream.

The court heard Panagiotou was working for his brother’s DJ hire equipment business at the time of the attack.

Panagiotou’s brother George Panagiotou was earlier jailed for a maximum two years and three months’ jail with a minimum of 12 months.

George was a part-owner of the equipment who played a “far greater” role in the attack, the court heard.

George Panagiotou

Panagiotou read an apology letter to the court just prior to the sentencing.

He said the choice to go along was the “biggest mistake of my life”.

“The decision to follow my brother and co-worker to the property has led to pain and suffering that I would never wish on anyone,” Panagiotou said.

“The horrific incident that occurred has cause considerable pain and suffering to many people, I’m honestly sorry and remorseful …

“I’ve never been more scared in my life being 18 and in an adult prison I was terrified not knowing how each day will unfold, not knowing if I would be picked on and attacked …

“From the bottom of my heart I am truly sorry.”

Many of Hutchings’ friends and family had their victim impact statements read to the court.

Hutchings’ aunt Tina Hutchings said she was devastated by the loss of her nephew.

Ms Hutchings, who updates Hutchings’ distraught mother as she is too upset to attend court, hoped Panagiotou would never again consider committing a “wanted act of such vigilantism and violence”.

Panagiotou was convicted and ordered to complete 400 hours of unpaid community work.

Jarrar and Amad were both handed three-year community correction orders after admitting their roles in the aggravated burglary.

[e-mail]