Melbourne boss fined $60k after slapping tied-up apprentice at Christmas party

A Melbourne boss has been fined and slammed for his “campaign of terror” after he was filmed hitting his apprentice at a Christmas party.

A Melbourne boss who was filmed slapping his tied-up apprentice at a work Christmas party has been fined $60,000 over the “cowardly” stunt.

Steven Yousif, owner of Jaden Commercial Windows, pleaded guilty to operating an unsafe workplace in November after he was recorded hitting apprentice Ilyas Elkharraz while suspended upside down from a crane during a 2020 Christmas party.

Mr Elkharraz, who was 23 at the time, said he felt “degraded, humiliated and embarrassed” by the incident which was filmed by his colleagues.

“I felt like a piece of meat about to get cut,” he previously told A Current Affair.

Mr Yousif also tormented a second worker, who claimed his boss threatened to terminate his employment.

Mr Yousif was filmed hitting the then-23-year-old. Picture: A Current Affair

Mr Elkharraz was hung upside down from a crane. Picture: A Current Affair

Speaking at Melbourne’s Magistrate court, Magistrate Andrew Sim described Mr Yousif’s behaviour as a “targeted … campaign of terror against two vulnerable workers”.

“You victimised, humiliated and threatened both victims,” he said.

Magistrate Sim said he was not satisfied the 27-year-old was genuinely remorseful over the act, instead suggesting he may feel “anguish about being caught”.

Ilyas Elkharraz claimed to have been “degraded, humiliated and embarrassed” by the incident. Picture: A Current Affair

Mr Yousif, who was not physically present at court, was fined $60,000 with conviction and ordered to pay $6000 for WorkSafe’s legal fees.

His lawyer previously urged the magistrate to hand down a sentence without a conviction, arguing Mr Yousif’s second business, JADEN Commercial Windows, would suffer.

“It would clearly impose a serious financial impost upon JADEN … but it would also affect the employees of JADEN … who could potentially be collateral damage here for no fault of their own,” he said.

Mr Yousif originally faced a maximum fine of $80,595.

Mr Elkharraz’s solicitor said his client suffered “horrific psychological injuries” from the incident.

“He can never work again for the foreseeable future.”