THE theft of items from cars was the catalyst for arson, threats of harm and the attempted intimidation of witnesses, a court heard yesterday.
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Rutherglen men Paul Boss, 43, and his stepson, Troy Devine, 18, appeared in Wodonga Magistrates Court after having bail refused on false imprisonment charges this week.
It is alleged they took two people to a secluded area last week and threatened to bury them, with Boss saying “the sheep can’t talk”.
The pair again applied for bail yesterday.
Devine was released on the condition he live at Griffith and report daily.
He must stay out of Victoria unless attending court or seeing a solicitor.
But magistrate John Murphy refused bail for Boss, saying he was concerned he could interfere with witnesses.
Mr Murphy was told Wodonga detectives were investigating arson at a Wodonga house where a witness to the car break-ins lived.
A sister of the witness, 17, was asked by Devine to go to Rutherglen on Wednesday last week with an assurance nothing would happen and Boss was away.
She went with a man, 25, and met Devine at the Rutherglen Golf Club about 10.30pm.
But Boss then came out from bushes, demanding their mobile phones.
The pair were then taken to a dirt track behind the Rutherglen High School where Boss threatened to bury them.
Devine drove the couple back to Albury and went to Wahgunyah to steal fuel. He failed in his attempt to syphon fuel and crashed his when driving towards Rutherglen.
The vehicle was set on fire and the two alleged victims later made statements to police.
Last week, Boss and Devine went to a house in West Albury where the male victim was and obtained a disc copy of an interview he had with police in which the victim outlined what happened.
Sen-Constable Aaron Hardinge found Boss with the disc on Saturday as he was walking from Chiltern to Rutherglen accompanied by Devine.
Boss denied any involvement in threats to the victims.
Devine had been interviewed by police two days earlier and had made frank admissions about what took place.
Solicitor Greg Duncan suggested to Sen-Constable Hardinge that the victims were “unreliable witnesses and crooks”.
“It’s the tamest unlawful imprisonment I have seen,” Mr Duncan said.
Sen-Constable Hardinge said the victims probably had a different point of view.
The charges were adjourned until August 16 for a committal mention.
