Yasemin Ercan, Ibrahim El-Sayahed accused of drive-by shootings

A woman co-accused of targeting a rival criminal syndicate in a drive-by shooting gone wrong has been granted bail by a judge because of her young age.

A couple has faced Melbourne Magistrates Court after being charged with numerous fireman offences in relation to three drive-by shootings.

A young Hawthorn East mother has been granted bail over a series of alleged drive-by shootings involving her husband and another man in the city’s northern suburbs.

Yasemin Ercan and her husband Ibrahim El-Sayahed faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday evening after being charged with numerous fireman offences in relation to three drive-by shootings that took place in July last year.

It is alleged the pair and another man were involved in a Reservoir bakery shooting on July 12 which saw eight rounds of ammunition fired at the premises.

The court was told the couple were subsequently involved in a shooting of vehicle in Hadfield and a Lalor home which took place three days after the bakery attack.

Police allege the couple were involved with the El Nasher organised crime family and were involved in a dispute with the Al Hamza family since 2018.

They said the shootings were intended to target the rival criminal syndicate, but the Lalor property was the wrong address, putting nearby families in danger.

The pair, who were arrested by Echo Taskforce detectives on Wednesday morning, were also identified by police as running an illegal solarium business in an apartment they rented in Richmond.

Mr El-Sayahed, who faces more than 20 charges in total, including discharging a firearm at a premises, using a firearm in a public place, reckless conduct endangering life and reckless conduct endangering serious injury did not apply for bail.

However, Ms Ercan, who was charged with the same firearms charges and attempting to prevent the course of justice, was granted bail despite prosecutors arguing the 21-year old posed a danger to the community.

Detective Senior Constable Andrew Luke from Echo Taskforce said the Hawthorn East mother was “activity encouraging her partner to commit crimes” and enjoyed participating in the shootings.

“You can tell from the actual conversations on the (listening device)…one in particular where she said it was fun and she’d love to do that every weekend,” he said.

Detective Luke added, “we still have firearms out there which have not been recovered by police…we have severe concerns she is a danger to the public.”

Ercan’s lawyer Philip Dunn QC argued the 21-year old should be granted bail so she can adequately support her young daughter.

Magistrate Trumble cited Ms Ercan’s young age as the primary reason behind her decision to grant her bail, in an addition to the long time she could remain in prison if her application was denied.

She said a committal hearing may not be held until early 2023 and a trial could take another year after that date.

“She is a very young person in my view, and much of this offending is said to have occurred when she was even younger,” Magistrate Olivia Trumble said.

Ms Ercan was ordered to cease contact with her husband and the co accused, abide by a curfew, and reside at her mother’s Richmond address.

The couple will both appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court in April next year.

The third man, who was allegedly involved in the shootings, has been detained but is yet to be charged by police.