‘Ridiculous Mexican stand-off’ murder conviction upheld

A man jailed for life when a dangerous deal of drugs for bullets turned deadly outside a Deception Bay home in September 2018 has lost his appeal.

Clinton Pollock (nickname Rocky) was murdered in 2018.

A man jailed for life when a dangerous deal of drugs for bullets turned deadly in a “ridiculous Mexican stand off” has lost his appeal.

Justin John Meale was found guilty of murdering Clinton “Rocky” Pollock who he shot outside the victim’s home in Deception Bay on September 2, 2018.

The fatal shooting stemmed from a deal where Mr Pollock would supply Meale bullets in return for drugs.

While Mr Pollock provided the bullets he never received the quantity or quality of drugs he expected.

Tensions between the pair escalated and Mr Pollock sent a barrage of abusive and threatening texts to Meale, including a warning he would “spray” his house with bullets.

About 11.30pm on the night in question Meale and two others arrived at Mr Pollock’s home and after a short verbal argument the victim was shot with a shortened .22 rifle by the defendant.

The incident was described as a “ridiculous Mexican standoff” between the pair during Meale’s trial in 2022.

Meale later told police he did not intend to kill Mr Pollock.

At trial his defence team argued he fired the trigger in response to Mr Pollock’s “twitchy” movements, believing he was carrying a semiautomatic weapon.

A jury found Meale guilty of murder and he was sentenced to the mandatory life imprisonment.

On appeal Meale argued the trial judge had erred in several directions he gave the jury.

On Tuesday the Queensland Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal finding no miscarriage of justice had occurred.

“The appellant was convicted of murder on a strong prosecution case,” appeal court president Justice Debra Mullins said in her decision.