Convicted killer Zlatan Popovic jailed over violent Illawarra home invasion
He was already a convicted killer when he was twice found guilty - then acquitted - of a high profile Illawarra murder. But Zlatan Popovic just couldn’t keep his nose clean …
Police & Courts
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Zlatan Popovic hit the proverbial jackpot when he was acquitted of murder, not once - but twice.
He’d spent the bulk of his adult years behind bars, but in 2020, he was finally free to start his second, maybe even third, chance at life.
It was an opportunity he squandered for the sake of a few mates and some drugs.
On Thursday, the now 52-year-old learned he would spend another 12 months in the clink, on top of the year he’s already done, over his role in a violent, drug-fuelled home invasion where a man was hit in the head with an axe.
Court documents said Popovic grew up in public housing in a rough neighbourhood in the Illawarra. Childhood trauma, details of which were not revealed in court, caused him to turn to crime and by the time he was a young man, he was well ensconced in the city’s underbelly.
In 1999, he gunned down an underworld rival in the middle of the Wollongong CBD during broad daylight.
The man was killed, nine innocent shoppers were wounded, and Popovic soon found himself behind bars for eight years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Within months of Popovic being paroled in 2007, Dragan Sekuljica was shot dead in a targeted hit inside a trendy Wollongong Nightclub.
Popovic would later be accused of organising that murder, an allegation he was always denied.
The brazen killing marked the beginning in time of a string of high profile, tit-for-tat murders in the region, although none are alleged to have been connected to Mr Sekuljica’s death and Popovic is not accused of any involvement in the other crimes.
Popovic was arrested over Mr Sekuljica’s death in 2012, charged with murder and tried alongside three co-accused, all of whom pleaded not guilty.
All four men were convicted and sentenced to decades behind bars.
Eighteen months later, their convictions were overturned and they underwent a new trial - only to be found guilty again.
But in yet another twist, the convictions were overturned for a second time amid ongoing concerns about the reliability of a key witness and Popovic was exonerated.
He had spent eight years behind bars on the charges, before walking free in 2020, no doubt with a vow never to go back.
But his return to his old stomping ground and the lure of his former life proved too appealing to the old school thug.
Teaming up with two other men, Popovic forced his way into a house in Albion Park in May 2023 and confronted those inside, demanding they lay on the floor as he asked them “do you know who I am?”
The victims did, and complied with Popovic’s every request, although it didn’t stop one from being struck on the hand and leg with an axe, care of Popovic’s co-accused, leaving him with deep lacerations to his fingers.
The victims were told they owed money and handed over a meagre amount of methamphetamine.
The three attackers then left, but not before telling their victims: “this is what happens when you f—k around”.
Popovic was arrested seven months later and charged with aggravated break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence while knowing people are there and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, to which he pleaded guilty.
In court on Thursday, Judge Andrew Haesler labelled Popovic’s prospects of rehabilitation as “guarded”, noting his prior violent offending.
Popovic’s lawyer said when released, his client intended to live with his mother away from the area given his “bad reputation” in the Illawarra.
“Yes, firing a shot in the middle of Keira Street tends to stay with you for the rest of your life,” Judge Haesler responded dryly.
He sentenced Popovic to three years and nine months in jail, with a non-parole period of two years and three months.
With time served, Popovic will be released from custody in June next year.
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