"Just tough talk" is how a man has described his threats to the victim of a violent robbery, during an ACT Supreme Court hearing.
Omar Haddara, 30, has admitted to his role in the crime which also saw several others arrested.
The court heard the victim was lured to a home in Canberra's north by a woman he knew.
But soon after he arrived there was a knock at the door and four men, some of them armed, came into the house.
The man was attacked and made to transfer money from his account in varying amounts.
In the lead-up to the incident, Haddara had agreed to help an old friend collect a debt.
He sent numerous messages to the victim about meeting him to collect the money, telling the man he had taken over the debt, and he expected payment.
"You are a weak dog and your debt has just doubled, and when I see you I'll flog you," Haddara said.
Haddara told the court he had no idea how much the debt was, or what it was for, and said he wasn't going to gain anything from it.
He also told the court he had no intention of carrying out the threat.
"It was more just tough talk," he said
He said he'd gone with the others to help if it were needed, but realised things weren't as he was expecting when he saw some of the others carrying weapons.
"As soon as there started to be violence I got in between them. I was trying to stop him from getting attacked," Haddara said.
"I do not even like these people. I should have stayed out of it and not get involved.
"It was a stupid mistake, I was getting nothing out of it."
Justice David Mossop queried his actions.
"Why the tough guy threats?" Justice Mossop said.
He replied: "I really do not know why, I just was not thinking straight at the time."
He denied he was trying to minimise his involvement.
Justice Mossop said the crime was in the context of collecting a drug debt, and it involved weapons and violence.
He said Haddara knew his presence was needed to press the threat, but it wasn't proven he took part in the violence.
Justice Mossop also found there was no evidence to show Haddara had gained anything.
"It's not clear what his motivation was," Justice Mossop said.
But the judge noted he was more than a mere follower.
Haddara will be assessed for an intensive corrections order ahead of his sentencing in November.
