Nicholas Sguras faces court over alleged Canterbury IED bomb

A court has heard of an alleged feud which led to a crudely made IED partly exploding in the face of an innocent woman.

New details have been alleged in court as to why a bomb was planted at the front door of an innocent woman in Canterbury.

Nicholas Sguras appeared before the Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Fullerton on Thursday (April 29) in a bid to be released on bail.

In determining whether to grant the bail application, Justice Fullerton read aloud from the disturbing police facts which showed the victim’s foster son was the intended target of the attack.

“The Crown allege the ongoing drug business was operated by the applicant and a co-accused who utilised social media and used drug runners to supply drugs from applicant’s apartment in Chippendale,” Justice Fullerton said.

“It is alleged by the prosecution that … (it was) the applicant’s belief one of his clients had robbed one of his drug runners.

“He and a co-accused armed themselves with baseball bats and called upon a number of others in an attempt to lure him from his home.”

Nine people were arrested as part of investigation into the IED detonation. Photo: NSW Police Force.

Justice Fullerton said it is alleged seven men arrived outside the Canterbury home in two cars.

“When the person refused to present themselves, understandably, a plan was devised to construct a homemade explosive device and detonate it.

“They lit the fuse on the porch. It did not immediately detonate but a light turned on which attracted the attention of the intended victim’s foster mother who received first and second degree burns to her face and shrapnel injuries.”

Sguras’ barrister Michael Coroneos told the court his client’s parents were desperate to see the 20-year-old released from Silverwater jail as they were worried about his declining mental health and the viral infection he was suffering related to his hepatitis B.

He said the Roselands couple would be willing to have him live in their home and put up a sizeable surety.

Sguras and his co-accused remain before the courts. Photo: NSW Police Force.

Mr Coroneos also told Justice Fullerton a successful case conference had taken place yesterday (April 28) in Burwood Local Court.

“Am I right in thinking this will attract pleas of guilty to some charges but not others?” Justice Fullerton asked.

“Yes Your Honour that is the situation,” Mr Coroneos said.

Mr Coroneos further submitted even if the plea negotiations were successful, a District Court sentence date would not be set until October making it one year and two months on remand.

Should the matter go to trial, it will not proceed until 2022.

“If he’s convicted of the explosive device charges Mr Coroneos, you and I both know that will attract a prison term well in excess of a year,” Justice Fullerton said.

Sguras was formally denied bail.

He will next appear in Burwood Local Court on May 19.