Four front Ipswich Court accused of murdering Gailes dad Christopher Anderson

A close friend of a Gailes father who was shot dead outside his home has described the frantic moments leading up to his death, after a court heard forensic experts break down the aftermath of the scene.

The family of Christopher Anderson, including his daughter and his sister Lisa Conlon, outside Ipswich Courthouse on August 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Details of a Gailes father’s frantic call for aid in the hours leading up to his shooting death have been revealed, as a “close mate” recounted his friend’s final moments to a Queensland court.

The recount was heard during day two of a committal hearing for murder charges against Shaun Jason Birt, 30, from Silkstone, Markiss Graham John Moffatt Cleary, 21, of Riverview, Aidan Eden Pascoe, 34, of Leichhardt, and Larkin Dwayne Moffatt, 23, of Redbank Plains.

It is alleged the four defendants shot Gailes father Christopher Paul Anderson outside his Gailes home on July 10, 2021.

Forensics officers at the scene after Christopher Anderson was shot dead outside his home on Old Logan Rd, Gailes. Photo: Ebony Graveur

On the second day of the hearing, witness Lee Justin Page, 46, told the Ipswich Magistrates’ Court his “close mate” Mr Anderson had called him around 3.50pm on the day in question.

Mr Anderson had asked “are you at home? Come down quick, I need you,” the court heard.

When Mr Page arrived at the scene, he said he believed he saw Mr Anderson holding a shovel, “scattering out” of the home with a group of individuals.

Mr Page said he had picked up a bar from a trolley jack and chased after the group towards a car.

As he got closer, Mr Page said he saw Mr Anderson repeatedly swing the shovel at a person in the car.

Mr Page said he believed two of the group had gotten into the car at that stage.

“I went to approach the car — until I heard the bang,” Mr Page said.

Around 20 or 30 seconds later the car drove off, he said.

Mr Page said he walked back to the house with Mr Anderson, who told him he “couldn’t breathe”.

He said Mr Anderson then collapsed, and Ms Torrens came out and said “we’ve gotta get him out of here” — but Mr Page had “no idea” why.

Christopher Anderson.

Forensic pathologist Dr Jessica Vidler told the court she had conducted a post mortem on Mr Anderson on July 12, 2021.

She said the range at which he had been shot was difficult to determine from the wound itself.

A blood sample had revealed the presence of methamphetamine in Mr Anderson’s system, which Dr Vidler said was at an “overlapping range of a below toxic, a toxic, and a potentially lethal concentration”.

Defence barrister Scott Lynch asked if the presence of methamphetamine in one’s system would have an impact their prospects of survival if their vascular system was pierced - given methamphetamine could stimulate blood flow.

Dr Vidler replied: “It would depend on how severe the vascular injury was.

“In something very severe such as what we have in this case, it wouldn’t make any difference.

“The type of injury we have in this case would be lethal, regardless of whether or not the person had methamphetamine.”

Forensic scientist Carl Streeting said his team located pellets in the living room of Mr Anderson’s house.

He also described a “defect” (hole) found in the wall behind a television cabinet.

Mr Streeting said there was no visible damage to the television or cabinet.

The television could not have been in that position when the defect was created, he said.

He said he could not comment on how recent it was, due to the material the wall was made of.

Proceedings will continue on November 15.

Aidan Pascoe, Shaun Birt and Larkin Moffatt are three of the four men accused of murder following the fatal shooting of Christopher Anderson. Markiss Graham John Moffatt Cleary (not pictured) is also one of the accused.

On day one of the hearing, the court heard how Mr Anderson had rushed into his kitchen to urge a babysitter to protect his two-year-old moments before his death.

Belinda Sherlock, 47, told the court she hurried back to the child in his bedroom, shut the door and placed a pillow over his head so he would not hear the commotion that allegedly ensued as his father, 36-year-old Christopher Paul Anderson was confronted by a group of men at his front door.

“Christopher Anderson came running into the kitchen where I was and told me to go back into the back bedroom to look after the baby,” Ms Sherlock told Ipswich Magistrates Court.

Ms Sherlock was one of five prosecution witnesses cross-examined, who each observed various pieces of events on the afternoon of July 10, 2021.

“I cut the corner of the kitchen to the hallway, saw three figures in a semicircle at the front door, went down the hallway, shut the door, put a pillow over the baby’s head so he wouldn’t hear anything,” Ms Sherlock recounted to the court.

She said she did not see their faces but allegedly heard “arguments and gunshots”.

She said she also heard Mr Anderson asking his partner Felicity Torrens “where the bat was”.

“I don’t know what happened after I went to the bedroom and shut the door,” Ms Sherlock said.

“I heard Christopher and Felicity say ‘no, no, no, we’ll give you everything’.”

Defence barrister Scott Lynch asked Ms Sherlock if she had heard Ms Torrens or any of the people at the door if they wanted money or weed.

Ms Sherlock said she did not.

Mr Lynch asked: “You didn’t hear anything about a money box … You didn’t see her counting out $250 or $350?”

“Nope,” Ms Sherlock responded.

She said she had assisted Ms Torrens later in getting the baby away from the house.

Ms Sherlock told the court she had heard a bang and then saw Ms Torrens running, jumping out the bedroom window towards her saying “give me my son, give me my son”.

“And then I heard another gunshot,” Ms Sherlock said.

“When I heard the cars screaming away, I looked out the window and saw Felicity running up the street trying to get help.”

Ms Sherlock later described her panic on the phone to the ambulance as she tried to save Mr Anderson’s life.

“When I lifted up his shirt, I saw one small hole right near his heart,” she said.

“Before he knew he’d been shot, he was full of adrenaline. I told him he’s been shot and that’s when he went down.”

“All I cared about was saving his life.”

Ms Sherlock said Ms Torrens had at one stage told her not to call an ambulance because she was “trying to prevent Chris (Mr Anderson) from going back to jail”.

However, she noted she didn’t believe Ms Torrens was aware Mr Anderson had been shot at the time.

Ms Sherlock said she was on the front porch — the baby was “up the road” and safe at that stage — as Ms Torrens and family friend Lee Page tried to put the wounded Mr Anderson into a car, when someone shoved a white plastic bag into her hands and told her to get rid of it.

She didn’t know who had said that or what was in the bag.

At one stage in the cross-examination, Ms Sherlock admitted she may have taken around half a point of methamphetamine that morning.

The family of Christopher Anderson, including his daughter and his sister Lisa Conlon, outside Ipswich Courthouse on August 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Family members of the late father of two were in attendance at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court for the first day of committal hearing on August 10.

His older daughter attended court surrounded by family, all wearing matching T-shirts with slogans: “Justice for Ando” and “forever 36”.

Mr Anderson’s sister Lisa Conlon told The Queensland Times: “We’re here as a family to support our brother and get justice – that’s our main goal”.

“He fought to protect his family right till the end, he really did.”

Each of the accused also stands charged with entering a dwelling with intent (using or threatening violence) while armed in company, and robbery with actual violence when armed in company.

They each appeared in person for their committal hearing, where they sat in line inside a glass dock.

Mr Moffatt shook hands with Mr Moffat-Cleary and Mr Birt as he sat down in greeting.

Other witnesses gave evidence about what they saw from further away, outside the home, including an off duty police officer.

Joshua Joseph Dobbs said he had been driving home from work when he passed by a group of people gathered outside a vehicle in front of Mr Anderson’s home.

He said he saw what he believed to be a sawn off rifle next to one of the individuals’ bodies — possibly in their hands or attached to their waist.

Mr Dobbs said he also believed he saw an individual swing a shovel and hit another person with the shovel at one stage.

The defendants could be seen laughing and whispering with each other at various times throughout proceedings.

“s--t I’m going to jail,” one of the defendants joked before the second day of proceedings commenced.

“Want some tissues?” another responded.

The family of Christopher Anderson, including his daughter and his sister Lisa Conlon, outside Ipswich Courthouse on August 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Ms Conlon said it was frustrating to see the defendants laughing and shaking hands in the dock.

“We’re just angry, we’re frustrated, we’re hurt … It’s destroyed us all.”

The family expressed their thanks to everyone that has reached out to support them, and also to the witnesses who they understand have been asked to relieve traumatic moments of their life in some cases for their testimony.

Ms Conlon said the family wanted Mr Anderson to be remembered as “a really nice guy”.

They had held a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony and funeral for him after his passing, at which Ms Conlon said there were large groups of attendees showing their support.

“(Mr Anderson) loved his family, he was really passionate about his culture,” Ms Conlon said.

“He was only 36.”