Accused Doveton milk bar killer can’t front magistrate due to ‘full’ court holding cells

A MAN charged with tradie Sadiq Husseini’s murder in Doveton last week couldn’t appear in court because its holding cells were full, a magistrate has been told.

EXCLUSIVE: The man charged with murdering tradie Sadiq Husseini outside a Melbourne milk bar has been unable to appear in court.

Ricky Gerrard, 20, was expected to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today charged with murdering Mr Husseini in Doveton on Thursday night.

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But his lawyer Guillaume Ballin told deputy chief magistrate Lance Martin the holding cells at the court were full.

Mr Gerrard is currently on remand at the Melbourne Assessment Prison and authorities were unable to transport him to court because there was nowhere to keep him, Mr Ballin said.

Tradie Sadiq Husseini was killed outside a Doveton milk bar.

A forensic officer places an evidence marker outside the Doveton milk bar where Mr Husseini was killed. Picture: Patrick Herve

There has been an explosion in the number of accused being held on remand since the introduction of new bail laws.

Lawyers say the laws have made it significantly harder for accused to be secure bail.

But there are fears about how to accommodate the increased remand population.

Presiding over a case last week Magistrate John Hardy predicted that up to 50 per cent of prisoners would be on remand by July next year.

“I have no idea where we’re going to put everybody,” he said.

Today’s short hearing went ahead in Mr Gerrard’s absence.

The Doveton milk bar where Mr Husseini spent his final moments. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

The court heard he was suffering from anxiety and depression, both formally diagnosed before his arrest, and was vulnerable in custody because of his youth.

Mr Husseini was captured by the milk bar’s security cameras laughing and trying on a beanie just moments before his death.

Police allege the 24-year-old died at the scene after being attacked outside the Linden Place shop.

An 18-year-old Doveton man was also arrested over the death but was released pending further inquiries.

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