A man accused of orchestrating a violent PlayStation 5 scam will spend Christmas behind bars charged with kidnapping and robbing a woman while armed with a metal rod as part of what a magistrate described as a “horrific, well-planned” attack.
Keysborough man Joseph Kaipuke, 29, faced Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with seven offences including assault and unlawful imprisonment, after allegedly creating an online scam using fake Facebook profiles.
A man accused of a Playstation scam has been denied bail in Geelong Magistrates Court. Credit:Louie Douvis
In opposing the man’s release on bail, Detective Senior Constable Lauren O’Connor told the court that Mr Kaipuke – who had never been in custody before – posed an unacceptable risk to the community if released and believed no bail conditions could reduce his risk of reoffending.
“It has been systematically planned. He was willing to get that money at any cost,” she said.
The court heard that during online negotiations over the sale of eight PS5’s earlier this month Mr Kaipuke posed as a woman before the male owner of an at-home gaming supplies business in the Geelong suburb of Armstrong Creek became suspicious and cancelled the deal.
But Senior Constable O’Connor alleged that a week later on December 16 and using a second fake profile, Mr Kaipuke arranged to visit the property, purportedly to buy a PS5 for a child.
The detective said when Mr Kaipuke arrived, the seller wasn’t home and instead…
