Top former bikie Peter Zdravkovic nearly killed after offending Comanchero members online
The ACT Supreme Court has heard bikies tried to kill a top former Comanchero after he posted a series of “offensive” Snapchats. WARNING: coarse language.
Canberra Star
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A series of provocative social media posts were behind an attempted hit on one of Australia’s top bikies, Peter Zdravkovic, a jury has heard.
The photos, shown to an ACT Supreme Court jury last week and made public on Monday, show Mr Zdravkovic, posing with his Comanchero gang colours and ultimately setting them alight.
The case against the lone accused, Axel Sidaros, 25, is that Mr Zdravkovic’s burning of club colours was an affront to the remaining members of the chapter, prompting them to attempt a hit job on him.
Mr Sidaros denies being one of the masked men and has pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges, including attempted murder and arson.
In the days after Mr Zdravkovic posted the photos, a group of masked and armed men stormed his Carter Cres, Calwell home shooting up the property and torching his prized Mercedes Benz and BMW.
Mr Zdravkovic, a concreter by trade, told the court last week he said he was largely unable to remember the shooting and firebombing of his home in June last year.
The court has heard Mr Zdravkovic was the president or commander of the Comanchero’s Canberra chapter, a role which was later taken over by Pitasoni “Sonny” Ulavalu.
Mr Zdravkovic was showering before bed when the men stormed his home, and, while naked, returned fire.
Police found Mr Zdravkovic wearing only a pair of shorts in the dead of Canberra winter trying to extinguish the fire engulfing his cars with a garden hose.
Mr Zdravkovic was taken to hospital under police escort after losing the tip of his finger in the firefight, although he told the Supreme Court he could not remember whether that was the case, and that he had been told a “dog” took his finger.
He said razor wire he later put up around his home was for dog protection.
Mr Zdravkovic’s posts refer to “sh*t eating f*cks”, in apparent reference to his former gang mates.
The trial has also heard from Mr Zdravkovic’s elderly mother, Kate Zdravkovic, who lived nearby, and whose house was also hit by bullets.
“That is all I know, and I don’t know who did it, it was 11.15pm and I rang the police,” she said.
Sidaros is the only person to have been charged over the alleged failed hit job.
A raid on his house saw investigators seize weapons, shoes and club paraphernalia
The court on Monday heard a man — referred to only as “Tooks” is still a person of interest in the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
Mr Zdravkovic’s partner was sent a screenshot of a snapchat post by a friend warning her partner faced retribution.
It read: “Peter Zdravkovic, you and your crew got 24 hours to hand over everything, bikes, your AMG, colours, everything … or else the HITSQUAD gonna show up to your family’s …”
A raid on Sidaros’s house saw investigators seize club paraphernalia and firearms.
The trial continues.