Steven Aydin sentenced on stalking, threats to kill and property damage
The Ormond neighbour of a drug-crazed madman who threatened to kill her and chased her down the street with a golf club has told a court of her terror.
South East
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A junkie who stalked and threatened to kill his neighbour, smashed through a fast food restaurant’s doors and set light to an Ormond business has been sentenced.
Steven Aydin pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on May 9 to more than 30 charges, including stalking, shoplifting and criminal damage.
The court heard Aydin, of Ormond, had continuously stalked and harassed his neighbour, threatened to kill her on multiple occasions and eventually chased her with a golf club down their quiet suburban street.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she was terrified to leave her house.
“I have developed insomnia and collapse or lose consciousness all the time,” she said.
“I hardly leave my home and am often bed bound from the stress.”
The victim told the court of the years’ long reign of terror Aydin subjected her to, where he would threaten to kill her daily, telling her he’d “burn her apartment down with her inside”.
The culmination of the threats came in December 2023, when Aydin chased her down the street riding a bike and maniacally swinging a golf club at her.
“I’ve been living in fight or flight for years,” she said.
“He hates women and it makes me afraid that I will become just another number in the statistics.”
Aydin also pleaded guilty to criminal damage charges, after smashing through Ormond McDonalds’ doors while families and children were inside, and lighting another Ormond business on fire in 2023.
He had also been caught in possession of a tomahawk, a baseball bat and a set of shears in his car on another occasion, when he failed to stop while speeding.
The court heard Aydin had been suffering from a drug-induced psychosis and had spent time in Thomas Embling Hospital since he’d been in custody.
Magistrate Luisa Bazzani said despite the intersection between mental health and drug use, Aydin’s behaviour was “heinous”.
“Almost all the behaviour he is before the court for is anti-social, threatening and violent behaviour towards the public,” she said.
“In the interests of keeping other people safe, I have no other option than to sentence him to a non-parole period.”
Aydin was sentenced to two years and six months behind bars, with an 18 month non-parole period.
He was also fined $800 and his licence was cancelled for 12 months.
