Ishmail Sozmen pleads guilty to aggravated burglary, dangerous driving

A former soldier who pointed a handgun at several people and took police on a wild chase has fronted court.

Ishmail Sozmen

A former soldier who threatened to shoot several people with a handgun and led police on a wild car chase at speeds of 130km/h has pleaded guilty in court.

Ishmail Sozmen, 39, of Dandenong South, pleaded guilty in the County Court in Geelong on Friday to several charges including aggravated burglary, unlawful assault and dangerous driving.

The court heard the Turkish soldier had walked into a Bannockburn petrol station with a handgun tucked into his pants just before 1pm on October 15, 2021.

A witness hid behind the service station when he saw Sozmen.

Sozmen saw the man as he was leaving and said “what the f--- are you doing here on your own”.

The court heard Sozmen appeared to be “enraged”, and in fear of being shot, the witness said “mate, I’ve got a family, I’m just in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

After leaving the scene Sozmen went to an address in Bannockburn where he had been earlier that morning.

A woman asked Sozmen what he was doing outside her home and told him there were children inside.

Ishmail Sozmen.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Moore said Sozmen got out of his car, pulled the firearm out from his pants, pointed it at the woman’s sister and yelled “I will f------ shoot you, you dog”.

He then walked to the window of the home, opened it up, and stole a streaming service remote before leaving the scene in his car.

As he drove away, a police car which was in the area started following Sozmen.

Mr Moore said Sozmen then sped off on the Midland Highway after he saw he was being followed.

The court heard Sozmen was driving 135 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, and during the pursuit he overtook other vehicles and disobeyed traffic lights during heavy rain.

Sozmen continued to drive, despite stop sticks ruining his tyres, and eventually came to a stop.

In desperation Sozmen entered a home on Torquay Rd in Grovedale.

The resident, who was home at the time, went outside and waved police down.

Sozmen was arrested and taken to the police station.

A search of his car revealed that he was in possession of methamphetamine, a number of banking credit cards which did not belong to him and a knife.

Sozmen’s lawyer, Chris Hooper, said his client developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his time in the Turkish army and was remorseful for his offending.

Sozmen will be sentenced on November 29.

Originally published as Ishmail Sozmen pleads guilty to aggravated burglary, dangerous driving