Anthony Cresswell: Alleged Patterson Lakes Coles carpark shooter’s bail bid rejected
The man at the centre of an alleged daylight shooting at Patterson Lakes has made a desperate plea for freedom.
South East
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An alleged daylight shooting at Patterson Lakes is believed to have been sparked over a drug debt.
Clyde father of two Anthony Cresswell, 27, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February 25, following the alleged incident which unfolded in the Coles carpark on Gladesville Boulevard on Tuesday.
Police allege Cresswell was travelling in a dark sedan with a number of others when the car pulled up alongside victim Fabian Lombardo — who had been riding his scooter to the shops with his girlfriend — about 5.50pm.
Lombardo was allegedly shot in the leg, with the sedan speeding off along McLeod Rd as terrified members of the public rushed to help.
Armed crime squad Detective Senior-Constable Brooke Howarth said police believed the incident was sparked by a drug debt.
The court heard Cresswell, who works as a landscaper, sent a threatening text message to Lombardo in the hours before the incident.
“I don’t give a f*** you little dogs deserve it for trying to set me up,” the message said.
“ … you have more coming your way soon.”
The court heard Cresswell also allegedly attended Lombardo’s Patterson Lakes home with another man on February 21.
It’s alleged two men — one holding a long black object and another holding an unknown item — pulled up in a dark vehicle to the property about 7pm and approached Lombardo before he ran away in fear.
Police believe the black object was a homemade firearm.
Officers allegedly uncovered firearms and ammunition inside Cresswell’s home after the alleged shooting as well as an iPad which contained screenshots of social media posts relating to the incident.
Sen-Constable Howarth said Lombardo suffered broken bones which required surgery and that his leg was likely to be permanently damaged.
The court was told Cresswell, who was on bail at the time of the alleged incident, also has outstanding warrants in Queensland and Tasmania.
Cresswell made a desperate self application for bail, telling Magistrate Mia Stylianou that his children, aged three and five, would “lose everything” if he could not return home to his family and girlfriend.
“I’m not an intimidating person … I’m the breadwinner, I’ve got a mortgage … my kids will lose their future, everything,” he said.
“There’s nothing there to show me at the scene … it makes no sense why I’d go and shoot him.”
Cresswell, who faces eight charges including intentionally recklessly engage in conduct discharging a firearm and cause serious injury and make threat to kill, was refused bail.
He will return on June 3.
