He agreed to help torch the car used in the drive-by shooting of the City of Ink tattoo parlour, owned by former Richmond AFL player Jake King and underworld figure Toby Mitchell, in July 2018.

But Akbal's conspicuous methods gave him away and he was pulled over in the middle of the night without his headlights on, with the jerry can in the back and the vehicle smelling strongly of petrol.

The 25-year-old wasn't involved in the shooting. But he has pleaded guilty to the arson of the car used in the drive-by and assisting an offender afterwards.

Akbal described that night as the greatest mistake of his life, barrister Sam Tovey told Victoria's County Court on Wednesday.

He argued the young man hadn't fully grasped what he was getting involved in before arriving at Brunswick with the jerry can.

He helped set fire to the car out of misguided loyalty taken to "nefarious, illegal and totally misguided" heights, Mr Tovey said.

Akbal went on to tell an undercover officer he was in the Comancheros bikie gang. When asked if he was present at the tattoo parlour shooting, he made a "so-so" hand gesture.

Mr Tovey stressed Akbal "is not, has never and will never be" a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The barrister said his client's young age, lack of criminal history and guilty plea deserved leniency, and asked he be allowed to serve his sentence in the community.

But prosecutor Daryl Brown argued the young man's crimes warranted jail time.

If he hadn't made the "silly mistake" with his headlights, his assistance would have destroyed any link between his co-offenders and the shooting, he said.

Akbal will be assessed for a community correction order before returning to court on August 27.

Australian Associated Press