A YOUNG man with an intellectual disability and foetal alcohol syndrome has been left scared to leave his home after being targeted in a case of mistaken identity.
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The 20-year-old was attacked and told he would be shot during the incident in the main street of Gerogery on May 14.
The victim had driven to a toilet block, about 100 metres from the town’s pub, and heard voices coming from the hotel.
When he got back to his car, he saw a blue Ford and called his girlfriend.
He started his vehicle by reaching in through the window when the Ford turned its lights on and reversed towards him about 9pm.
The victim drove away, followed closely by Gregory Roberts, 29, in the Ford.
It’s alleged his partner Amina Miners, 30, was in the vehicle, which overtook the victim’s car and slammed its brakes on.
Miners allegedly got out, opened the door, ripped his seatbelt off and pulled the man from the car.
The victim was crying and shaking uncontrollably and didn’t understand what was happening.
Miners allegedly threw his phone into nearby bushland so the victim couldn’t call police, as Roberts told her it was the wrong person.
The victim fled and Miners allegedly took his keys and threw them away before the pair got into their car and followed him.
He hid in grassland and the pair screamed at him, before Miners allegedly punched him in the side of the head.
“Jump in my boot before I shoot ya,” she allegedly shouted at the 20-year-old.
The man ran into a paddock and told someone in a nearby farmhouse to call Triple-0.
Roberts took full responsibility for the incident during a police interview – claiming he had been the one who had robbed and assaulted the victim, and that his partner wasn’t even in the car.
The following day, he admitted he had lied to police and made a fresh statement with comprehensive allegations against his partner.
The false statement to the investigators led to Roberts being charged with hindering a police investigation into a serious indictable offence.
Magistrate Tony Murray told Roberts he was at some risk of going to jail, noting it was “a serious matter”.
Miners is behind bars for her alleged role, and is yet to enter a plea.
Roberts will be sentenced on July 27 and Miners will return to court on July 10.
