Housam El-Afchal jailed for four years over involvement in ATM raids

A SYDNEY father of two took time off from a family beach holiday to drive the getaway car in a raid on a Brisbane bank's ATM which netted $118,000, a court has been told.

The Brisbane District Court was told today that Housam El-Afchal, 33, was nabbed when an off-duty police officer spotted him wiping down an abandoned getaway car and jumped into another vehicle.

Police later spotted the second car parked at Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast, and laid in wait to follow El-Afchal back to his Surfers Paradise holiday unit where he and his wife, Alison Renee Afchal, were both arrested.

However, the court heard El-Afchal had made such steps at rehabilitation while on bail he could tender references from elite national sporting stars Anthony Mundine and Justin Hodges, as well popular Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale, property developer John Samios, and the Federal Member for Oxley Bernie Ripoll.


El-Afchal was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to one count each of break, enter and stealing from an ATM, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of motor vehicle on December 6, 2008.

Judge Nick Samios recommended El-Afchal be eligible for parole on May 5 next year.

Alison Afchal, also 33, was sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to receiving tainted property between December 5 and December 9, 2008.

Prosecutor David Meredith detailed how New South Wales police had started an operation - codenamed "Picadilly 2" - after a spate of daring raids on ATMs in that state.

The raids - known as "gas attacks" - involve pumping oxyceteline gas into the ATMs and setting it alight causing them to explode - thereby giving the bandits access to the money cylinders.

Mr Meredith that on December 5 two other men had broken into car dealerships and a plumbing supply business to steal two cars and some oxyceteline equipment.

About 4am on December 6, a group of men went to the Bank of Queensland branch in Robinson Road, Geebung in Brisbane's north, and gas-attacked it.

After an explosion, which destroyed the ATM, the group stole about $118,000 in $50 and $20 notes.

Mr Meredith said some time later an off-duty policeman spotted two men wiping down a car in the nearby suburb of Nundah.

Mr Meredith said in all about $43,000 - some of it badly burnt - was never recorded by police.

He said this case was the first time anyone had been before a Queensland Court on charges of blowing up an ATM.

Barrister Tony Kimmins, for El-Afchal, said has client had not been a member of any organised gang and had been called in at the last minute to drive the getaway car.

He said El-Afchal was promised a third of the loot and that was what he had received.

Mr Kimmins said El-Afchal had been detained in Queensland while on bail for two-and-a-half years while his family resided in Sydney.

He said, however, during that time El-Afchal had become a valued employee in mainly property development.