Son's desperate bid to protect mum's gifts from brutal thugs

A young man begged his three violent captors to take him to an ATM so he could give them money as they held him hostage during a terrifying morning of crime in southeast Queensland, a court has been told.

Harley James Kent, Kent's good mate Michael McDonald and another male brutalised a 22-year-old over a necklace and a bracelet.

A YOUNG man begged his three violent captors to take him to an ATM so he could give them money as they held him hostage during a terrifying morning of crime in southeast Queensland, a court has been told.

Pleading with the trio not to take a necklace and bracelet gifted to him by his mum, the 22-year-old victim was cut repeatedly with a machete, punched in the face and kicked before he escaped the ordeal in Dakabin.

Brisbane District Court on Wednesday heard Former Kilcoy resident Harley James Kent, Kent's good mate Michael McDonald and another male took their victim hostage in August, 2017.

The victim had asked McDonald to do him a small favour and drive him somewhere.

The unidentified man was behind the wheel, McDonald was in the front passenger seat and Kent sitting next to the victim when the brutal attack started.

McDonald used a machete to threaten their captive, slicing his knee, fingers and hand while trying to force the man to hand over his $2000 gold necklace and $1000 gold bracelet.

The victim explained the items were extremely important to him as they were gifts from his mother.

He begged his captors to take him to the bank where he promised to give them the equivalent value in cash.

He also gave them $250 from his wallet in the hopes of ending the ordeal.

"Don't worry, don't worry - we will do this the hard way and take it off him when we knock him out cold," the third man told Kent and McDonald.

The court heard that Kent - a former Caboolture and North Lakes resident - punched the man in the face, splitting his lip open.

Kent also pulled the necklace from his neck.

McDonald repeatedly slashed at the victim with the machete before swapping it for a knife.

The trio drove the victim to a sports ground where he managed to escape.

However, the thugs gave chase, caught him and knocked him to the ground, with all three kicking him over and over until a car drove up and scared them away.

They fled the scene with both the necklace and bracelet, the man's money and other items.

Police caught up with Kent and McDonald about 10 days later.

Kent pleaded guilty to about 20 charges on Wednesday, including robbery while armed in company and with violence, assault, deprivation of liberty and a raft of breach bail conditions.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren sentenced Kent to 4.5 years in jail with parole eligibility after serving 18 months.

"This guy (the victim) is trying to escape from the vehicle, they (the three men) are trying to stop him," Judge Rosengren said.

"He is begging for them to stop, he is saying he will take them to an ATM to stop this.

"It is appalling behaviour over a protracted period of time.

"This must have been an extremely concerning experience for the complainant - you are very fortunate he did not sustain more serious injuries."

With time served, Kent will be eligible for release in March, 2020.

In a separate court appearance, McDonald was sentenced to six years in jail.

Judge Rosengren said McDonald's time in jail was longer than Kent's because he was the instigator of the crime, he used the weapons and he inflicted most of the violence on the victim.

The other man has not been identified by police. - NewsRegional