1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: It had apparently forty two stubbies and thirty bongs, and 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: despite ingesting so many substances, he was still able to 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: produce a gun, and although his judgment was impaired, his 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: aim was not impaired. In this case, the target wasn't 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: an empty shop, but someone who fought fire with gunfire. 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: I'm Andrew Ruhland's life and crimes. We often wonder what 7 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: happens when people dare to defend their homes against intruders, 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: and this is a subject that is becoming more relevant 9 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: every week, particularly in Melbourne and of course in some 10 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: other parts of Australia, notably Aulic Springs and probably Darwin 11 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: and certain other hotspots around the country where home invasions rife, 12 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: and to use the words of one magistrate, crime is rampant. 13 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: We have a situation where people, ordinary householders, or at 14 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: least certain householders, who are thinking, how can I defend 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: my home and my family and myself, and how will 16 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: the law view it if I do? How far can 17 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: I go? Now this is a thorny subject, but it 18 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 1: seems to me that with some exceptions, that those few 19 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: people who have taken up arms against intruders in their 20 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: own house have by and large not been prosecuted by 21 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: the law. Now there are exceptions to this, but it's 22 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: interesting that although the official police attitude and the attitude 23 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: of the government authorities and so on is do not 24 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: take on intruders, do not offer his distance, do not 25 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: get in their way, Just play safety first at all times. 26 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: If you've got to throw them the carkeys or whatever 27 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: it is, just do it. And that by and largely 28 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: good advice. And we would not be advocating for people 29 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: to do anything rash or stupid and dangerous, because they 30 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: shouldn't do it. But some people in some circumstances will 31 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: and have, and it's possible that some people that have 32 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: defended themselves bits of scllywags themselves. The most notable example 33 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: of self defense, of course, in this jurisdiction is mcgatto, 34 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: who shot Andrew Venemon in a very quiet, small space 35 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: in a restaurant in Carlton, and he was finally acquitted 36 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: on self defense, but because he said he'd been attacked 37 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: by a notorious hitman who did have form for shooting 38 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: people and carrying guns and so on and so forth, 39 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:06,559 Speaker 1: and so that really wasn't a great example of intruders 40 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: getting into your house in the suburbs and looking for 41 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: your car, keys, or your wallet or whatever. Let's go 42 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: through a few of these. In nineteen ninety two, a 43 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: shooter's advocate, an activist called Laurie Morris sat up in 44 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: an empty house that he owned. I think it had 45 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: been his mother's house, and he owned it, and it 46 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: was empty, and he knew that people were regularly coming 47 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: to that house and looting it, breaking in and they 48 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: were stripping it of valuables. It was a house I 49 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: think in Malverne or that district, and there were features 50 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: of the house that we were stealing and people were 51 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: stealing them, and he got heartily sick of it. He 52 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: was a sporting shooter, responsible licensed shooter, not a lunatic, 53 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: and not a criminal, and in the end he could 54 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: stopped these thefts happening. And he went and sat up 55 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: in that house at night. Now I'm not sure how 56 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: many nights he spent there, but he spent nights there, 57 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: and sure as eggs are eggs, three intruders turned up 58 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,119 Speaker 1: one night. There was a confrontation and Laurie Morris shot 59 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: one of these intruders, and that intruder I have to say, 60 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: ended up grievously injured. He ended up I think with 61 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: a permanent colostomy bag. It meant that he couldn't. As 62 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: he said to media later on this intruder, he said, 63 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 1: you know, I can't play with my son in the 64 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: park and run around the way that I want to 65 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: with my children, etc. Et cetera. All of which was true, 66 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: and it's a terrible thing. However, he and two others 67 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,119 Speaker 1: thought it was fine to steal stuff from somebody's house, 68 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: and in the end he ran into a homeowner that 69 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: fought pack. The interesting point here is that although there 70 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: was a lot of debate about this, because Laurie Morris 71 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 1: was in fact a prominent sporting shooter who was a 72 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: known advocate for gun ownership, etc. He had a sort 73 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: of political view to push. Morris became a slightly notorious case, 74 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: but he was acquitted of any charges that were leveled 75 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: and everyone went home. The injured intruder went home with 76 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: his bullet wounds and Laurie Morris went home with his 77 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 1: reputation and his wallet. Intact, didn't go to jail, not 78 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: even fined, I believe, and ultimately he was acquitted of 79 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: home defense using a firearm. There have been other examples. 80 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: Some have gone one way, some have gone the other. 81 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: I'll just throw in one now from the opposite side. 82 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: And that was in twenty fourteen a fellow called Ivan Dangelo, 83 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: the Apostrophe Angelo. He got eight for manslaughter. Now there's 84 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: some interesting things here that make it rather different from 85 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: Laurie Morris's experience. Similar was this, Ivan knew that people 86 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: were breaking into his workshop where I think he used 87 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: to sleep something. They're breaking into his workshop in Thomastown 88 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: and stealing stuff, and he had started to sleep there 89 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: or whatever, and he was sleeping there. And on this 90 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: particular night that three intruders turned up to break into 91 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: his workshop in Thomastown, Ivan had a big night. It 92 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: had apparently forty two stubbies and thirty bongs. And despite 93 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: ingesting so many substances, he was still able to produce 94 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: a gun. And although his judgment was impaired, I'd suggest 95 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: that if he was dead sober, he might not have 96 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: opened fire quite so readily. His aim was pa and 97 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: he hit at least one of these fellows and shot 98 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: him dead. And he was subsequently charged with manslaughter, and 99 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: he was sentenced to eight years in prison, and the 100 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: judge and jury took a fairly dim view of his actions. 101 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: The fact that he was nearly blind drunk when he 102 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: did it probably didn't help his cause. If you're defending 103 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: your home as opposed to just running around in circles 104 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: because you're drunken off your head on dope, it's probably 105 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: not going to play that well in court. And it 106 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: did not, and he got eight years in the slammer, 107 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: or he was at least sentenced to eight years in 108 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: the slammer. He shot dead a twenty seven year old 109 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: young man called Wade Vandenberg. Recently we've had the case 110 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: I'm just picking a few at random. We've had the 111 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: case of Mick Moldouse, former tough a defender in the 112 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: VFL an AFL world who became a tough AFL coach. 113 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: Mick Malthouse, flinty, hard little man, little by AFL standards, 114 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: not little anywhere else. Came out of Ballarat from sort 115 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: of the tough side of the tracks. I think he 116 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: might have grown up in a house and commission stayed 117 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: up there and probably the society didn't do him a 118 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: lot of favors, and he fought his way up the 119 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: greasy pole of sport, football and everything else by dint 120 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: of his own determination and his own efforts and his 121 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: own courage, and probably the sort of guy who you 122 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't really want to rob, because he'd be pretty willing 123 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: to have a shot back. When some intruders intruded on 124 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 1: his property at East Melbourne this year, he didn't have 125 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: a gun, but he did have an exercise bar, which 126 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: is another word for an iron bar, and he took 127 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: his own bar, which he always called an exercise because 128 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: it was part of exercise equipment. Of course, he just 129 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: happened to have it beside the bed, and he went 130 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: downstairs and he chased away three men, one of whom 131 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: actually kicked him or something like. There was a bit 132 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: of a grape I think, one of them Hurtinghm with 133 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: a screwdriver a small wound, but anyway, the screwdriver was 134 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: no match for Mick and his iron bar, and he 135 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: dispensed a bit of summary justice, and later on the 136 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: police got hold of these people, I think, and I 137 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: would have thought that nearly all Victorians, if not all Australians, 138 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: would have been barracking for Mick Malthouse in that incident. 139 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: He took what was at hand and took them on. 140 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: Now the police did not recommend doing that, but Mick Malthouse, 141 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: like a lot of people of his character, he's not 142 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: one to take a backward step. We recall that with 143 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: the late great Ron Morassi when he saw a la 144 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: he being attacked or mugged or robbed or something in 145 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: Saint Kilda at a pavement cafe. I think it was Barasi, 146 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: who was then I think in his seventies at that stage, 147 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: jumped up and intervened and tried to grab the offender, 148 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: the attacker, and I think was knocked over for his troubles. 149 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: But it shows you the caliber of the man and 150 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: of people like him. They're not going to back down. 151 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: And speaking of people who don't back down, we're talking 152 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: about January the seventh, last year, in twenty twenty four. 153 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: And the way I've written this story is this way, 154 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: and we try and stick to the written form because 155 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 1: our lawyers are very keen for us to be very 156 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 1: careful how we describe people and events, and so with 157 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: a few minor variations, I'm going to stick to the 158 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 1: written form of this story, which I find quite interesting. 159 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: The raiders in this case came prepared to do maximum harm. 160 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: Between three of them, they had three axes, a jerry 161 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: can of petrol and an aerosol can of a very 162 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: common solvent WD forty, all bought under a false name 163 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: to go with the gloves, the disposable black clothes and 164 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: makeshift balaclavas. They make them up out of T shirts. Interestingly, 165 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: they can twist a T shirt around so they can 166 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: see through the hole and tied off in a not 167 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: instant bala. There you go. It's one of those little 168 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: skills that young people learn these days. In some postcodes. 169 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: They also had false number plates fitted to the Toyota 170 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: kluger that they drove to the scene of the crime. 171 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: Our friends at Toyota would point out that the Toyota 172 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: is a very reliable combinents at all times, and in 173 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: this case it was extremely reliable, more reliable than the 174 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: people driving it. Any doubt that this was a criminal 175 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: enterprise vanished when the three directed by a fourth man. 176 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: So this is a conspiracy smashed through a bedroom window 177 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: of a house in Middle Mount Street, Donnybrook, which used 178 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: to be farm country. I can recall now an outer 179 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: suburb to the north of Melbourne out there past Eppingham 180 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: so on it's four eighteen am on this particular morning, 181 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: January seventh, last year, twenty twenty four. When they break 182 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: the windows with the axes, it showers the room, the 183 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: bedroom with broken glass. In the bedroom in bed is 184 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: a terrified woman, a woman called Taylor Grannan, and she's 185 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 1: sort of the lady of the house. She is the 186 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: partner or girlfriend of the chappoose of the co tenant. 187 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: Taylor is sleeping alone on this particular occasion for reasons 188 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: that will become clear, and she leaped from the bed 189 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: and crouched again a wall, absolutely terrified, but was struck 190 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: on her left leg with an axe, gashing it very badly. 191 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: Well it would it's an axe. Taylor screamed that she 192 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: was pregnant, and the attackers, thank goodness, left her alone 193 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: and ran from the room towards the back of the house, 194 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: clearly looking for her partner, a chap called Darcy Current 195 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: now Darcy Karen. I think it was a twenty eight 196 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: year old fellow. We don't know a lot about Darcy, 197 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: but I think he's not a shrinking violet. I think 198 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: Darcy might be a robust individual, and I think It's 199 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 1: possible that Darcy had an inkling that some people were 200 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: out to take property of his, possibly money, or possibly 201 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: something else. But he probably might have been expecting trouble. 202 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: Darcy Curran, who later told police he had been sleeping 203 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: in the backyard, which I suppose on a hot January 204 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,719 Speaker 1: night you might do. Unted the men, the three men 205 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: with the axes, and they found. Those men found they'd 206 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: made the fatal mistake of bringing access to a gunfight. Curran, 207 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: and this is where the lawyers tell us to be careful. 208 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: Curran took hold of a firearm, its origin uncertain, and 209 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: fired several shots. He hit two of the attackers, one man, 210 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: a man whose name we are not going to use here, 211 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: but we'll call him Harry. He fled with a third man, 212 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: which his mates called Babyface. We don't know who he is. 213 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: We actually don't know who Babyface is or was, but 214 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: his nickname that they used in text messages was Babyface. 215 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: So the wounded fellow and a third man rush off 216 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: to the tout kluger and drive away. They head for hospital. 217 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: The third of the raiders, of called Joseph Romano, wasn't 218 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: running anywhere because he'd been shot in the chest. First 219 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: responders worked on Joseph Romano on the Nature Strip, but 220 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: he was declared dead at five oh one am. So 221 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: the attack happens at four eighteen and within probably twenty 222 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: five seconds or something. There's lots of shooting by Darcy Curran, 223 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: who lives at the house. We're not sure where the 224 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: gun came from, but apparently Darcy was able to put 225 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: his hand on it. It's possible that he took it 226 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: from one of the attackers. It's possible the wounded man 227 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: and his mate Babyface, drove to the Northern Hospital and 228 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: he was captured on security cameras there just before four 229 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: point thirty struggling out of the back seat of the toyota. 230 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: He was then taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with 231 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: gunshot wounds to the back and buttocks. So he apparently 232 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: had turned around and was heading outwards when he was shot. 233 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: Because he got wounds in the back and the buttocks. 234 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: It would take Taylor Grannan another half hour to get 235 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: to the same hospital, the Northern Hospital, to have her 236 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: leg wound attended to. This, of course, is the leg 237 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: wound inflicted by the axe. Meanwhile, her partner, the quick 238 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: thinking shooter Darcy Curran left the house in the minutes 239 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: before police arrived. Interestingly, another blog whose name we are 240 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: not going to use here, but we'll call him the 241 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: fourth Beetle, was one of the conspirators to do the raid. 242 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: But he wasn't on the raid. He wasn't one of 243 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: the three axe wielding people. He'd helped set it up. 244 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: He's not there, but he's keeping track of what's happening now. 245 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: If this Darcy Curran was some sort of Havigo hero, 246 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: as we say in newspapers, he was very modest about 247 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: it and not anxious to burden the police with details 248 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: of his home, defence or the possible reasons for the attack. 249 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: The twenty eight year old and at Sea's age, was 250 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: not interviewed until later after a gun was recovered from 251 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: a house in a nearby suburb of Dorhen, So it 252 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: would appear that Darcy and possibly the gun ended up 253 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: in do Rhen pretty rapidly after this shooting. There was 254 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: stark evidence of the chaos at the Middle Mount Street 255 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: house in Donnybrook. The chaos would suggest there have been 256 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: a very grievous Donnybrook at Donnybrook. Police and ambulance officers 257 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: found an axe on the floor of the front bedroom, 258 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: and they found two other axes that had been dropped 259 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: on the front lawn by the two fleeing and terrified raiders, 260 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: one of them wounded. Empty cartridge cases, all fired from 261 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: the same weapon, were strewn around the place. Meanwhile, elsewhere 262 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: it was time for the remnants of the raiding party 263 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: to clean up after themselves, or try to. It turned 264 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: out that they weren't much better at this part of 265 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: the operation than in the absolute debarcle of the raid itself. 266 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: At eight twenty five am that morning, so this is 267 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 1: about four hours after the bungled raid. Joseph Romano's Joseph, 268 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: He's the Dead guy. Joseph Romano's holden Colorado was caught 269 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: on CCTV traveling in tandem with the Kluger getaway car 270 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: at Beveridge, which is further north than Donnybrook Beverages, where 271 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: nen Kelly was born and raised, in fact, just past 272 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: Craigieburn at nine twenty two am, so that's another hour again. 273 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 1: Nine twenty two am, the Colorado was found on fire 274 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: on the Old Sydney Road, but this attempted to failed 275 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: and Romano's phone was found in the vehicle still functional. Well, 276 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: this is very handy for the police. It wasn't part 277 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: of the plan to leave the phone there and not 278 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: burn it. The police got hold of the phone, which 279 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: wasn't even scorched, and they were able to retrieve a 280 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: trove of incriminating encrypted signal messages it held, which allowed 281 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: them to build a clear sequence of events by these 282 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: young crooks. They were very young, these guys. A couple 283 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 1: of them are nineteen. The dead guy I think was nineteen, 284 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: and the other wounded guy was nineteen, and I think 285 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 1: Babyface was about the same age. The Kluger toy Kluger 286 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: was set alight in Belfast Avenue, broad Meadows, so that's 287 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: the second car they've torched. Later that morning, but by 288 00:19:54,080 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: that time police were already preparing to arrest wounded man 289 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 1: in hospital. The wounded man we will call Harry, which 290 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 1: is not his real name. Harry is a name that 291 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: we've just made up on the run, so it bears 292 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 1: no real resemblance to this man. The signal message exchanges 293 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: that the investigators uncovered revealed a chain of events indicating 294 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: a criminal conspiracy orchestrated from a long way off, much 295 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 1: like the rash of arson attacks on tobacco outlets in 296 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: recent years. But of course this one a bit less 297 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: successful because in this case the target wasn't an empty 298 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: shop but someone who fought fire with gunfire. This is 299 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: what the police found out when they cracked the code 300 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 1: on the phone. Not long before the so called Donnybrook Donnybrook, 301 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 1: the raiding party set up a group chat on signal. 302 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: This is how the police use phones. Very good at it. 303 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 1: Now Harry had to handle G. He's just called G 304 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: in these group chats. The fourth beetle, not his real 305 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 1: name was there. Joseph Romano, who was later deceased, was 306 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: called jump Man, and the unknown offende as we know, 307 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: was called Babyface. So this is on January the sixth, 308 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: last year, the day before the bungled raid. These four 309 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: are chatting on signal to toss around plans with a 310 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: fifth person known as Carnage. Now we don't know who 311 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: that is, and if we did, we probably wouldn't name him. 312 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: Carnage is almost certainly some sort of left tenant for 313 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: an absentee criminal overlord. He will be a right hand 314 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: man doing the dirty work in setting up the dirty 315 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: work back home here in Melbourne for a paymaster who 316 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: is somewhere in the Middle East or somewhere else like that. Now, 317 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: this carnage so called, he either rosary early or he 318 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: stayed up all night, as it was five fifty seven am, 319 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,960 Speaker 1: that's just before six o'clock when he sent a group 320 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: message asking for the clothing sizes of those in the group. 321 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: Three hours later, Harry was up and about. He provided 322 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: a shopping list for the fourth beetle, and the list 323 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: said three large jumpers, three large pants, three bes of shoes, 324 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: two in size ten and one in size thirteen, so 325 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: someone had big feet, and three T shirts to be 326 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:43,440 Speaker 1: used as bella clavers. Now Harry then transmitted a bunning 327 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: shopping list asking for the three axes and a spray 328 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: can of WD forty. Fourth beetle responded with one word 329 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: sweet or purpose word r handy. The fourth beetle who 330 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: is twenty four years old, so he's five years older 331 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: than the silly young blugs they sent to do the job. 332 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: This beetle drove to Bunnings in Hawthorne, a store with 333 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: which this department is very familiar. It's a very fine 334 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: shop with lots of good products, and that's why the 335 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: crooks went there. They wanted good products. And he bought 336 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: the three Trojan brand fiberglass axes, nothing but the best 337 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: three pairs of clubs, a five liter red Jerry can, 338 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,199 Speaker 1: and of course that pressure can of w D forty. 339 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: He made the purchase under the name Matthew Trotter, an 340 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: alias he'd used previously. Well, that tells you that this 341 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: was a crooked transaction where he's up to no good 342 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: because he's using the false ID and that he used 343 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: it before, which means he was the sort of bloke 344 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: who uses false ID, which some would consider a mark 345 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: of criminality. Fourth Beetle Fellow also bought the home invasion costumes, 346 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: anonymous and disposable clothing to be worn then destroyed, so 347 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 1: they're all in black and they all look much the 348 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: same and then they burn it. That's the theory. By 349 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 1: twelve fifty three that day that this is the day 350 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: before the raid. The sixth of January, Carnage messaged the 351 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: Beetle for details about the Donnybrook House. The Beetle met 352 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: Romano to hand over the geared bought. Three hours later, 353 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: Romano traveled to Clifton Hill in his Holden, Colorado with Harry. 354 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: Just after midnight, Carnage was back on signal with a 355 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: cryptic message that was clear to his co conspirators. Hectic we 356 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 1: in areas now. I think there's an absent question market 357 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: in that short message of four words. I think he's 358 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: asking if they're all set up in the right area 359 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: to do the business. Babyface replied by text, Yeah, my bro, 360 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: just waiting. Shortly after four am, Harry, Romano and Babyface 361 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: the unknown offender headed to Donnybrook in their Toyota Kluger 362 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: fitted with false plates. They had the three axes, the 363 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: Jerrycanna petrol, and that can of w D forty. Within 364 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: the hour, of course, Romano was dead, shot dead, nineteen 365 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: years old. Probably did this for five hundred bucks or 366 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: one thousand bucks whatever. One dead, one wounded, and facing 367 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: serious charges. These are the casualties in the dangerous and 368 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: sometimes deadly war waged by organized crime bosses who recruit 369 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: disorganized and deluded young pawns to do their dirty work. 370 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,239 Speaker 1: The details leading to the raid came to light as 371 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: investigators unraveled the threat. Five weeks after the fate raid, 372 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: and this is on February the fourteenth, this fourth Beetle 373 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 1: was arrested at the Berkeley Square shopping center in Brunswick 374 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,919 Speaker 1: and he was charged after refusing to answer questions or 375 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: to provide a DNA sample on August the twenty seventh 376 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: this year, so that's eighteen months afterwards. The fourth Beetle 377 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: was sentenced to a minimum two years. With luck, he'll 378 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: come home from prison. Wise to the ways of organized 379 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: crime bosses who use middlemen and patsies and pawns to 380 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: insulate themselves from the crimes they plot to enrich themselves. 381 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: Higher up the tree than Fourth Beetle in the Donnybrook 382 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: disaster was the fixer code named Carnage, clearly a trusted 383 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: lieutenant of one of the handful of puppet masters based 384 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: overseas beyond the reach of Australian law enforcement. Meanwhile, officially, 385 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 1: Joseph romano death is being investigated by the homicide Squad. 386 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,919 Speaker 1: And this is where this gets interesting in the bigger picture. 387 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: But after twenty months now, no one has been charged 388 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: over his death. Homicide Squad are notionally honor no one's 389 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: been charged. It's a sign, perhaps that someone somewhere in 390 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: the system has judged that in the Donnybrook killing. A 391 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: jury is going to be reluctant to convict the man 392 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: for defending his own home against three axe wielding thugs 393 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,439 Speaker 1: with a jerry can of petrol. No one can be 394 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: dead shore who brought the gun to the axe fight? 395 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: Of course, Darcy Karran isn't saying that he did. Oddly, though, 396 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: the encrypted telephone messages that openly listed the raiding party's 397 00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: axes and petrol and Balaclavi's never once mentioned a gun. 398 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: They didn't say, you know, while you're down there, can 399 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: you drop into Charlie's and pick up the gun or whatever? 400 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 1: None of that, no mention of Again, what those messages 401 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: did mention was that the aerosol can of WD forty 402 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: But what was it for? Well, you can bet it 403 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: wasn't for fixing a squeaky car door. The ugly truth, 404 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: it seems to me, and this is a throw at 405 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: the stumps listeners, This is not police evidence. This is 406 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: just an observation. The ugly truth, it seems to me, 407 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 1: is that an aerosol can full of flammable solvent could 408 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 1: make a cheap off the shelf explosive device is subjected 409 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: to the sort of heat a petrol fire producers call 410 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: it a ten buck bomb. A defense ex lawyer could 411 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: do quite a lot by flagging that idea, so it's 412 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: no surprise really that so few people have been charged, 413 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: let alone convicted, for defending themselves against home invaders, and 414 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: that dangerous Darcy Curran is one of them. Thanks for listening. 415 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: Life and Crimes is a Sunday Herald Sun production for 416 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: true crime Australia. Our producer is Johnny Burton. For my columns, 417 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: features and more, go to Heroldsun dot com dot AU, 418 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: forward slash andrew rule one word. 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