Newcastle’s Daniel Gordon and Sarah Pickett-Kelly charged with attempted murder in Lansvale
A Newcastle couple, who allegedly orchestrated a violent armed robbery against two friends in Sydney’s south-west, ended in a Lansvale man being shot in the stomach, according to police facts.
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A Newcastle couple — who allegedly orchestrated a violent armed robbery while staying with friends in Sydney — waited until the couple were asleep to let in two masked men, before it ended in a man being shot in the stomach, according to police facts.
On February 12, Daniel Gordon, 42, drove to south-west Sydney with partner Sarah Victoria Picket-Kelly, 28, and two men in a green Daewoo Nubira, leaving behind her two-week old baby, to meet up with Francis Nicholson and Kristy Salman at their home in Huntingdale Ave, Lansvale.
There Gordon and Pickett-Kelly allegedly socialised into the early hours of the morning, and witnessed an ice deal go down where more than $5000 was exchanged.
Then, when the Sydney couple were sleeping, police allege Gordon and Pickett-Kelly coordinated a sneaky armed robbery.
Police will allege two unknown men waited patiently outside, crouching and hiding in a side alley before they burst in with a shortened rifle and a hammer.
Phone records obtained by police allegedly found text messages on Gordon’s phone from Pickett-Kelly setting up the raid.
“Hey it’s Sarah, my phone died and I’m using Daniels (sic) phone,” she said in a text message according to police facts.
“When you come up the side, be real quiet yeh so when I open the door u guys can come straight inside n we will go to the car (sic).
“His half asleep on the nod so I’m gonna time it so u guys can sneak in n catch him off guard. His got this massive blade next to him I just moved it n hid behind the cupboard (sic).”
Police allege the two men, both wearing masks and one with a skull pattern, stormed the granny flat yelling “where the f**k is the money.”
One of the men allegedly grabbed Salman’s phone and smashed it with a hammer before the other man pointed his gun at Nicholson.
Police facts stated Nicholson laughed saying “you think this is a f**king joke” before lunging at him.
Nicholson was then shot in the right side of the stomach, piercing his intestine.
Both men allegedly grabbed ice from the table, $250, a ‘Gucci’ labelled bag, wallet and watch before they fled and joined Gordon and Pickett-Kelly back in the car to drive home to Newcastle.
Nicholson was rushed to Liverpool hospital and had life saving surgery and is in a stable condition.
Investigations by Strike Force Bellvue led police to an abandoned car being discovered in Newcastle on March 10. The Daewoo Nubira underwent “extensive forensic examinations,” police said.
The findings saw the arrest of Gordon and Pickett-Kelly at a home in Mayfield on Tuesday, where they seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.
The pair is facing charges of shoot with intent to murder, specially aggravated break and enter with intent, aggravated robbery with wounding, aggravated robbery in company and destroy or damage property.
The two masked men are still at large.
The couple appeared separately at Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday.
Pickett-Kelly’s solicitor Lauren O’Brien made a bail application for her client, citing the new mum needed to breast feed her six-week old baby and suffered from health issues including asthma and post natal depression.
“My client is hand expressing in a cup and is extremely uncomfortable,” Ms O’Brien said.
Ms O’Brien submitted to the court for house arrest, saying her client only needed to leave the house once a month for heroin replacement injection, as she suffers from a serious drug addiction.
She also said the fact sheet inadequately addressed her clients alleged involvement.
But prosecutor Ashley Cooper opposed the application saying text messages in police facts clearly stated her involvement in the alleged incident.
“The facts say CCTV puts her at the premises and there is deep involvement in orchestration of the event and bail should be refused,” Sergeant Cooper said.
Magistrate Robert Stone agreed and refused bail saying she was a risk to the investigation and tampering with witnesses.
Gordon appeared shortly after and did not apply for bail. Both will be back in Liverpool Local Court in April.