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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Toby Vue

'That's a fractured skull, c---': Man's head smashed over $75 drug debt

Jake Blackburn (right) after leaving the victim stranded near Namadgi National Park. Picture: Supplied

A victim feared for his life when he was left bleeding from his head after he was kidnapped, Tasered and beaten with a tyre iron while he was in a car boot all because of a "mere" $75 drug debt.

ACT Supreme Court documents state the victim met with Jake Blackburn and his co-offender, who is not named due to legal reasons, in April this year, in Conder about the debt the victim owed.

He was ordered to get inside a Suzuki Blackburn had stolen.

They then drove the victim, who was in the boot, to a number of unknown locations where Blackburn, 22, Tasered him and punched him before grabbing a tyre iron to strike his head four to five times.

The co-offender recorded the attack and the victim feared he would die as he was also threatened with dire consequences if he failed to meet his financial obligations.

The two offenders then left him stranded near the Namadgi National Park before he was found by someone in the early hours of the next day.

He sustained numerous lacerations to his head, including one 5cm cut that needed staples.

A few weeks later when Blackburn's co-offender was arrested then taken to Canberra Hospital, he swung his arms and struck an officer in the face.

The offenders fronted the supreme court on Friday after pleading guilty to forcible confinement.

Blackburn also pleaded guilty to stealing a car while his co-offender also pleaded guilty to assaulting a front-line community service provider.

Footage played to the court showed Blackburn striking the victim numerous times over the head before saying "I'll kill you, you f----- gronk" and "that's a fractured skull, c---".

MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Michael Elkaim said "public deterrence must be an integral part of the sentences".

"Young men should not think they can commit acts of this gravity without severe consequences," Justice Elkaim said.

"I viewed the video of the bashing. It was horrific ... and all this for a mere $75."

Both were on conditional liberty when the offending happened.

Blackburn, a former kitchen hand who lived in the UK and Cairns, had a wholly suspended 3.5-year jail term activated. It is set to end in April 2024.

His co-offender was on a suspended sentence.

Justice Elkaim sentenced Blackburn to 32 months in jail for the kidnap and three for stealing the car, both to begin October 2022. He will be eligible for parole in February 2024.

His co-offender had the rest of his suspended jail term activated, which will finish in April 2023.

He will also serve 12 months in jail for the kidnap and three for the assault before being eligible for parole in October 2023.

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