What the jury didn’t hear during Ron Medich murder trial

THERE were so many things the jury were not allowed to hear during Ron Medich’s first and second trial. But now that the millionaire property developer has been convicted of murder The Daily Telegraph can reveal some of the twists and turns behind the scenes.

THERE were so many things the jury were not allowed to hear during Ron Medich’s first and second trial. But now that the millionaire property developer has been convicted of murder The Daily Telegraph can reveal some of the twists and turns behind the scenes.

Medich’s anklet kept sending alerts to police when Medich frequented Chinese massage parlours.

Medich’s tracking bracelet set off at Chinese “massage” parlour

After Medich was released on bail from Silverwater jail in 2010 he was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring anklet so police could track his every movement. But the Daily Telegraph understands the anklet kept sending out unnecessary alerts to police — especially when Medich went for his morning swim and frequented Chinese massage parlours. Police did not object to the removal of the anklet in 2012 because “technical difficulties” were wasting resources and they did not consider Medich a flight risk. After a magistrate approved the removal Medich told reporters outside court the electronic monitoring had “been humiliating and an intrusion on my privacy and I’m glad it’s over”.

Ron Medich escorted into a NSW Corrective services van yesterday. Picture: Brendan Esposito

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Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and his wife Queen Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim. Picture: Vincent Thian

McGurk, the Sultan and the $8m jewel encrusted Koran

A conspiracy theory floating around after McGurk’s execution was that there could have been a connection between his death and a legal dispute with the Sultan of Brunei over a 400-year-old, rare, miniature version of the Koran.

. McGurk tried to sell the matchbox sized Koran to the monarch for $US 8 million as a wedding present for this third wife — a Malaysian television presenter. But the sultan reneged on the deal prompting McGurk to take legal action for breach of a contract. McGurk was ultimately unsuccessful after a court ruled it was outside of its jurisdiction.

Crown witness Lucky Gattellari.

Lucky Gattellari’s secret holding location

Convicted murderer and former boxer Lucky Gattellari suffers from such extreme claustrophobia that it was impossible for him to be kept in the usual holding cells at Sydney’s King Street court complex during Medich’s first trial in 2017. Gattellari was guarded in a secret location whenever he was not required to give evidence in courtroom three. Wearing a bulletproof vest for extra protection, Gattellari also arrived in a high security sedan rather than a correctives services truck because of his physical reaction to being confined. One journalist who went to the public bathrooms underneath the court complex was surprised to see Gattellari standing in the entrance of the men’s bathroom as he took his bulletproof vest one morning before court had begun for the day.

Corrupt former NSW minister Ian Macdonald. Picture: Bob Barker.

Medich supplies prostitute to former minister

In 2013 the Independent Commission Against Corruption found Medich and Gattellari provided former NSW energy minister Ian McDonald with the services of an Asian prostitute called “Tiffanie” in exchange for meetings with government officials. The ICAC heard Medich had arranged and paid for McDonald to go to the Four Seasons hotel in the Rocks in return for a lunch meeting with Country Energy officials at Tuscany restaurant in Leichhardt. Tiffanie told the hearing McDonald was a “rough kisser” who made her feel like “vomiting”.

Medich toasts his 70th birthday as jury retires

At 1pm on Wednesday April 11, the jury in the retrial of Medich retired to consider their verdict. Two minutes later Medich was power walking out the front door of Sydney’s King Street Court complex with half a dozen family and friends as they walked towards Macquarie Street. It was Medich’s 70th birthday and the group filed into underground restaurant Fratelli Fresh Parliamento — no doubt to toast to the property tycoon’s birthday and the down a few vinos to quell the nerves.

Ron Medich celebrated his 70th birthday just before being found guilty of murder.

A family mass murderer and killer cops warm seat for Medich

The wooden dock where Ron Medich sat for eight weeks during his first trial in 2017 was the same place killer cops Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara and family mass murderer Robert Xie sat during their NSW Supreme Court trials. The wooden bench they all sat in — within the space of 12 months- is within court three of the historic King Street court complex. The trial judge presiding over Medich’s trial — Justice Geoffrey Bellew- was also the judge who sat over the Rogerson and McNamara murder trial. In June 2016 a jury found Rogerson and McNamara guilty of murdering small-time drug dealer and university student Jamie Gao before dumping his body at sea. In January 2017 a jury found Robert Xie guilty of murdering five members of the Lin family at North Epping as they slept in his bed.

Roger Rogerson leaves court during the 2016 murder trial of Jamie Gao. Picture: Adam Taylor

Naughty juror investigated by police

NSW Police investigated the alleged conduct of a juror who allegedly sent an offensive text containing a reference to a “black cock” to a female Crown prosecutor after he was discharged from Medich’s first trial in 2017. The juror was discharged by the trial judge Geoffrey Bellew after the female prosecutor informed the court that the juror had been discussing the case with his wife. The juror was brought into court and questioned about whether he had told his wife that cross-examination style of defence barrister Winston Terracini was more “fiery” than that of the Crown prosecutor Gina O’Rourke. Justice Bellew found the juror’s denials, “difficult to accept”. “I have grave misgivings about whether that evidence is truthful,” he said. After he was discharged the aggrieved juror allegedly sent an offensive text to the Crown prosecutor. It is understood the Office of the Sheriff of NSW referred the juror’s conduct to police at Sydney City Local Area Command.