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In Melbourne's underworld war, police have often investigated cases where gangsters have taken out contracts to kill each other. But in the past few days they have investigated a contract with a twist.
In this case the would-be victim took out a contract on his own life. The Caulfield North man, 30, paid two young men $5000 each to kill him.
In the bizarre case, the "target" told the men he wanted to commit suicide but was frightened he would botch the job. He asked them to help.
His plan was to take sleeping pills then, if he was still alive 10 minutes later, the men were to kill him with an iron bar.
On Friday the three drove in the "target's" car to Gembrook. The man with the death wish and the would-be contract killers, both 18, searched for a cliff where they could dispose of the dead body. They found some tea rooms, antique shops, a lavender farm and Puffing Billy train tracks, but no cliffs suitable for dumping a body.
According to police, the "target" told his assistants that they would have to move to Plan B. The hastily arranged alternative was that the body was to be hidden in some bushes.
He then took two boxes of sleeping pills. But, instead of slipping into a coma, he began to convulse on the ground. His employees then grabbed the large iron bar from the car and struck him two or three times on the head. Satisfied they had completed their mission, they left, not bothering to roll the body out of sight.
But the victim had both an iron stomach and a thick skull. He came to and was later found, bloodied and disoriented, staggering down Macclesfield Road.
He was taken to the Angliss Hospital in Ferntree Gully and treated. He was later transferred to The Alfred hospital psychiatric ward as a non-voluntary patient.
The two men, who have not been in any previous trouble with police, have been interviewed by detectives and are believed to have made full confessions. The "target's" car was found outside their house.
It is believed the pair spent the $10,000 on top-shelf alcohol, a box of Cuban cigars and mobile phones. They are expected to be charged on summons with attempted murder.
As registration required, here is the article. Create your own cliff notes.
In Melbourne's underworld war, police have often investigated cases where gangsters have taken out contracts to kill each other. But in the past few days they have investigated a contract with a twist.
In this case the would-be victim took out a contract on his own life. The Caulfield North man, 30, paid two young men $5000 each to kill him.
In the bizarre case, the "target" told the men he wanted to commit suicide but was frightened he would botch the job. He asked them to help.
His plan was to take sleeping pills then, if he was still alive 10 minutes later, the men were to kill him with an iron bar.
On Friday the three drove in the "target's" car to Gembrook. The man with the death wish and the would-be contract killers, both 18, searched for a cliff where they could dispose of the dead body. They found some tea rooms, antique shops, a lavender farm and Puffing Billy train tracks, but no cliffs suitable for dumping a body.
According to police, the "target" told his assistants that they would have to move to Plan B. The hastily arranged alternative was that the body was to be hidden in some bushes.
He then took two boxes of sleeping pills. But, instead of slipping into a coma, he began to convulse on the ground. His employees then grabbed the large iron bar from the car and struck him two or three times on the head. Satisfied they had completed their mission, they left, not bothering to roll the body out of sight.
But the victim had both an iron stomach and a thick skull. He came to and was later found, bloodied and disoriented, staggering down Macclesfield Road.
He was taken to the Angliss Hospital in Ferntree Gully and treated. He was later transferred to The Alfred hospital psychiatric ward as a non-voluntary patient.
The two men, who have not been in any previous trouble with police, have been interviewed by detectives and are believed to have made full confessions. The "target's" car was found outside their house.
It is believed the pair spent the $10,000 on top-shelf alcohol, a box of Cuban cigars and mobile phones. They are expected to be charged on summons with attempted murder.
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