A ''polite'' stand-over man who ''looked like the Incredible Hulk, only not green'' has been found guilty of shaking down a Fyshwick business man for $60,000.
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Christopher John Butler, 33, told his victim he was ''the first step and I'm the very polite step, I'm the first initiator''.
But he warned ''if [my boss] sends a guy who's 6-foot-7 (1.9 metres) and 165 kilograms named Junior, run out of the shop, I'm telling you, don't stay here''. Acting Justice John Nield found Butler guilty of making a demand accompanied by a threat to endanger the health, safety or physical wellbeing of another. The judge revoked the debt collector's bail in the ACT Supreme Court yesterday, warning there was a ''possibility, if not a likelihood'' of a jail sentence.
The case stemmed from a 2004 whitegoods deal involving an acquaintance of the victim.
But the deal went sour and, after trying and failing to recover his money through the court the out-of-pocket man looked for someone to blame.
He blamed the Fyshwick businessman and in March 2011 Butler arrived at the man's shop demanding to see him.
The victim wasn't there, but Butler came back the next day, and the next.
By the time he and Butler finally met, the victim and his wife, who would later refer to Butler as looking like ''the Incredible Hulk, only not green'', had covertly set up a camera to record the exchange.
Butler explained he worked for a mysterious Sydney debt collector with a long reach and the clout to collect from bikie gangs.
''I normally get sent down to collect debt because I have the good approach, I'm good with words,'' Butler said.
''I'm the first step, and I'm the very polite step, I'm like the first initiator.''
During the recording the victim repeatedly professed his innocence, swearing he owed no debts to anyone.
Butler told him people ''spin this stuff all the time … and they go around and cut his hand off or break his leg, all of a sudden he gets the money the next day''.
The 33-year-old debt collector described his job as ''semi-legal'' and said his boss would never hurt the victim's wife or children.
''So you're telling me basically it's $60,000 or my life,'' the man asked Butler.
Butler replied: ''Hopefully it won't come down to that, but it could come down to that.''
The defendant told his victim to come up with a lump sum of $20,000 and arranged to come back the following week.
Butler was later arrested and told police he was ''just passing on a message''.
His lawyer, Kamy Saeedi, argued there was no evidence his client had intended to carry out the threat himself.
But, in his judgment, Justice Nield said he had no doubt Butler made a demand for money and threatened the victim, intending the other to fear for the safety of himself or his family.
He found Butler guilty of the charge and remanded him in custody. Butler is due back in court next month for a sentencing proceeding.
