Two children saw double shooting at Millicent, court told, as accused murderer’s identity suppressed
The identity of the man accused of murdering a 19-year-old couple at a property near Millicent has been suppressed for 72 hours, as a court is told two children witnessed the tragedy.
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The man accused of shooting dead two 19-year-olds in the South-East has been granted a temporary suppression order, despite a magistrate saying the order would “serve no utility”.
The 46-year-old man is charged with murdering Lukasz Klosowski and Chelsea Ireland.
In Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Monday, defence lawyer Dylan Walsh requested the suppression order, saying it was needed to protect the identity of the man’s three stepchildren.
The court also heard two of the three children had witnessed the shooting.
Mr Walsh said identifying the defendant would cause undue hardship to his stepchildren, who are under the age of 14.
However, Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis was reluctant to issue the suppression order.
“Hardship is not sufficient (for suppression), it would have to be undue,” Ms Panagiotidis said.
“I’m not satisfied that you have grounds to support it.
“It is too late, the information has been in the public area all day, it serves no utility in this circumstance.”
Mr Walsh said photos published by the media and the emotion currently being felt by the family served as undue hardship.
The court heard two of the defendant’s stepchildren had witnessed the alleged murder.
A police prosecutor said: “Two of the children were present, Your Honour, at the incident, a statement had been obtained from one of them and very shortly, a vulnerable witness statement from another.”
Ms Panagiotidis said media had already published the identity of the victims.
Ms Panagiotidis granted the suppression for 72 hours pending a potential appeal.
No bail application was made, and the defendant was remanded in custody to appear in court again in December.