A young carpenter and “pillar of the church” has made a desperate bid to be freed after allegedly botching an attempted attack on Sydney nightlife figure John Ibrahim.

Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulah, 24, appeared in Sydney Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking bail as he faces multiple charges over his alleged failed stunt.

Police say Tupoulahi pointed a Glock pistol at a woman driving her young child on July 25, after mistaking her black Range Rover SUV for Mr. Ibrahim’s.

Driver and co-accused Youssef Zrayka, who failed to secure bail last week, reportedly fled before a brief chase that ended after the two men got stuck in traffic .

The two men were later charged with conspiracy to murder Mr. Ibrahim, as well as firearms offenses after police allegedly found the Glock and a revolver in the car.

In seeking his release, Tupoulah’s lawyer, Ben Barrack, argued that he faced spending two years in custody awaiting trial after indicating his intention to contest the charges.

He described the carpenter as “entirely expendable” and if released he would be of no use to whoever planned the alleged hit – with the planning “not attributable to him”.

Critically, Mr Barrack said the Crown would have to prove Tupoulah was on the busy Dover Heights street to kill Mr Ibrahim, not to extort or rob him.

Nightclub boss John Ibrahim (pictured) allegedly targeted in botched hit in Sydney

Judge Desmond Fagan said it would be for the jury to make that decision and, in refusing Tupoulah’s release, described him as “an extremely dangerous man”.

“If he was there to shoot someone, as has been the case in the past, he could have shot the wrong person – or he could have shot the person he was trying to shoot,” he said. he declared.

Informed that no bullets were believed to have been fired, he added: “(It’s) very fortunate for people reckless enough to drive a motor vehicle of a similar appearance to Mr Ibrahim’s.”

Judge Fagan hit back at Mr Barrack, saying the alleged incident was “amateur hour” and Mr Tupoulah, in custody for the first time, did not pose a risk.

“He could be a pillar of the Church. He might be a saint in every way, but if he is caught on a residential street with two deadly weapons, apparently positioning himself to kill someone, that suddenly goes out the window,” Judge Fagan said, adding that the two men allegedly being stopped in traffic was “a trap for young players” in crime.

Judge Fagan ultimately refused the bail application despite a proposed house arrest, citing the risk to the community and the fact that “the Crown’s case was of very significant strength”.

The two men were reportedly dressed in balaclavas and gloves.

The Crown previously played video to the court of the alleged incident, showing the car carrying the two men stopping at a T-intersection with the Range Rover behind them.

The video allegedly showed Tupoulah getting out of the vehicle, according to the Crown, although Mr Barrack questioned whether it was clear he had brandished a gun at the car.

In a second video, police are seen searching the car allegedly transporting the two men, in which they found a Glock loaded with three rounds of ammunition and a fourth chambered.

A second gun, a large caliber revolver, was also located in the video and contained five rounds of ammunition; two jerry cans allegedly containing accelerant were also inside the car.

Police say the co-accused, Youssef Zrayka, drove past Mr Ibrahim’s home in Dover Heights before parking on the street shortly after 7am and waiting with his co-accused.

While watching the house, police say the two men spotted a Range Rover matching Mr Ibrahim’s description, with Zrayka pulling the car into the middle of the street.

Tupoulahi allegedly opened the rear door before realizing the vehicle did not belong to their alleged target. A few minutes later, the two men spotted a Range Rover again.

Zrayka pulled back into the road to block the black SUV, but again the two men targeted the wrong vehicle, police say, and the driver contacted police minutes later.

Tupoulahi was arrested after allegedly resisting arrest

Last week the 21-year-old made his own application for release, with his lawyer Ertunc Ozen SC saying police would have to prove his client had only planned to kill Mr Ibrahim.

“The facts show that these two were not present in the area for an innocent purpose… but the totality of the evidence establishes nothing more than an offense, which could be one of many others,” he said.

“The Crown will have to establish that these two people were part of an established plan to commit the murder of Mr. Ibrahim, and not a carjacking or extortion, … or a threat.”

Judge Mark Ierace denied the bail application citing unacceptable risks, including that Zrayka could endanger the community given he would have a weapon in public.

Both Zrayka and Tuploulah were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, as well as possession of a loaded firearm in public and driving a car without consent.

Both men will be back in court next month when the docket of evidence is expected to be served.