Stephen Garland, Jason Hawkins plead not guilty to murdering Stockton grandmother Stacey Klimovitch
An ex-Nomads bikie boss and a Canberra man have denied their alleged roles in the shotgun murder of 61-year-old Stockton grandmother Stacey Klimovitch.
Newcastle
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An ex-bikie boss and a Canberra man – charged for their alleged roles in the shotgun murder of Stockton grandmother Stacey Klimovitch last year – will head to trial after entering not guilty pleas.
Stephen John Garland, a former national treasurer of the Nomads bikie gang, and Jason Paul Hawkins from the ACT, both appeared via video link at Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. Garland also pleaded not guilty to an alternate charge of accessory after the fact.
An additional charge of accessory after the fact to murder was also withdrawn against Garland.
The pair have now been committed for trial in the NSW Supreme Court and will be arraigned in February next year.
A third man, Stuart David Campbell, the former partner of Ms Klimovitch’s daughter, has also been charged with murder but is yet to make a plea.
He wasn’t required to appear in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday and his matter was adjourned until the end of the month after his defence asked the court for additional time with their client.
Police allege Campbell had employed Hawkins as a hit man to “execute” the 61-year-old grandmother over a dispute relating to family issues.
Police further allege Campbell called in a favour from Garland, to drive Hawkins to and from the scene.
The grandmother died in her Queen St home on June 9 last year after police allege she was blasted through the security screen with a 12-gauge shotgun, and was hit in the chest, as she answered the front door.
Her adult daughter Alex was in the back area of the home at the time and had to make the triple-0 call as her mother lay shot on the floor.
Strike Force Backhouse detectives arrested Garland at Waratah West in November last year on unrelated charges before charging him with murder three weeks later.
The day after Garland’s arrest, Campbell was taken into custody at Newcastle West, as ACT police raided Hawkins’ home in Canberra and he was extradited back to NSW.
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