Vergel Velasquez death: Leslie Fernando charged with murder
A man accused of taking part in the brutal daylight bashing death of Vergel Velasquez has threatened people connected to the callous death in jailhouse phone calls, a court has heard.
Parramatta
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A man accused of taking part in the brutal daylight bashing death of Vergel Velasquez has been refused bail after the court heard of jailhouse phone calls which threatened people connected to the callous death.
Leslie Fernando, 49, has been charged with murder over the violent New Year’s Eve death of Mr Velasquez, described by police as a “nonviolent person”, who was found fighting for his life in a unit stairwell at Girraween.
The NSW Supreme Court heard police could “prove fairly well” the Moree man had been at the scene of the crime with his DNA allegedly found on a bong, as well as a number of witnesses placing him there.
Fernando was originally charged with being an accessory after the fact to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm however the charge was upgraded five weeks later to murder.
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The court heard of a number of recorded jailhouse phone calls which allegedly spoke of interfering with witnesses and manipulating bail conditions.
“On some of the phone calls from jail, he has spoken about ‘it would be great to get bail so I can move to Grafton so I can get rock, presumably ‘ice’,” Justice Richard Button said.
The Moree man has a history of mental health and drug issues, as well as previously being charged with intimidation, affray and breaching apprehended violence orders, the court heard.
Fernando’s lawyer Elias Tabchouri dismissed the jailhouse phone calls as “talking rubbish really”, saying it was the conversations of a frustrated man.
Justice Button refused Fernando’s application for release on bail due to concerns he would commit further crimes and interfere with witnesses.
In May Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty described Mr Velasquez’s death as “horrendous”.
Five other people – Lionel McGrady, 50, Jeremy Smith, 39, Shane Weatherall, 42, Michael Porter, 41 and a 35-year-old Guildford woman – have been charged in connection with death and remain before the courts.