Woman, 22, charged over THREE gangland drive-by shootings is released on bail to live with her father who is ALSO on bail
- Yasmine Ercan, 22, was charged with three drive-by shootings in Melbourne
- Granted bail to live with her father – who is also on bail, for alleged extortion
- Ercan and her husband Ibrahim El-Sayah both charged for 2020 shootings
- Court heard Ercan ‘seemed to get a thrill’ from the three shootings last July
- Ercan is also accused of conspiracy to commit a major burglary, police allege
A woman charged over three drive-by shootings has been granted bail despite a last minute discovery that she will be living with her dad – who is on bail for extortion.
The Melbourne magistrate who freed Yasmine Ercan said that wouldn’t be the case in a perfect world, but it wasn’t reason enough to deny the 22-year-old her own bail.
Ercan and her husband Ibrahim El-Sayah were arrested and charged on Wednesday over three drive-by shootings in Melbourne in July last year.
It’s allege Ercan, who is a young mother, was a back seat passenger in a car driven by her husband when the shootings happened.
Detective Senior Constable Andrew Luke said eight rounds were fired from an assault rifle into a Reservoir bakery on July 12.
Yasmine Ercan (pictured in green) was this week charged for her role in three drive-by shootings in Melbourne last July – she was granted bail to live with her father, who is also on bail for alleged extortion offences
The bakery in Reservoir, Victoria which was targeted in July 2020 in a drive-by shooting – Yasmine Ercan and her husband Ibrahim El-Sayah were arrested and charged this week by police following a detailed investigation
He said on July 15 four shots were fired from a handgun, believed to be a revolver, into a Hadfield home.
Det Luke said Ercan and El-Sayah are believed to be ‘in line with’ the El Nasher organised crime family, who have been in an ongoing dispute with the rival Al Hamza family since 2018.
He said it’s believed the Hadfield home was targeted in the mistaken belief it was connected with a ‘rival’ family but it was actually unconnected.
About 20 minutes later five shots were fired from an assault rifle, linked to the first shooting, at another house.
Police have put in a request to interview another man, who is currently in custody, in connection with the shootings.
Det Luke said police had used listening devices to monitor the couple since November and claimed Ercan was ‘actively encouraging her partner’ El-Sayah to commit crimes.
‘She encourages him to commit crimes, particularly for money, but also encouraging him to do these shootings,’ he said.
The detective said Ercan seemed to get a thrill from the shootings.
‘You can tell from the actual conversations on the (listening device) – one in particular where she said it was fun and she’d love to do that every weekend.’
Ercan has also been investigated over a $750,000 handbag burglary and has allegedly encouraged El-Sayah to commit another burglary, in what police allege is a conspiracy to commit a burglary.
Ercan’s lawyer Philip Dunn QC said Ercan was only 22 and had family support.
Police also alleged in the Melbourne Magistrates Court that Ercan is accused of conspiracy to commit a major burglary (stock image)
He said bail conditions included that she would live with her mother and get a drug counsellor to help her.
Ercan and El-Sayah aren’t due back in court until April next year.
Magistrate Olivia Trumble said a committal hearing would be unlikely before the end of 2022 or early 2023 and a trial not for 12 months after that.
‘She is a very young person in my view, and much of this offending is said to have occurred when she was even younger,’ she said.
Ercan was ordered not to have any contact with any of her co-accused, including her husband. She must also abide by a curfew.
El-Sayah did not apply for bail.