City of Ink tattoo parlour shooting accused released on bail
TWO bikie associates accused of shooting up a tattoo parlour owned by former Tigers star Jake King and ex-Bandido Toby Mitchell have been freed on bail amid strong opposition from police.
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TWO bikie associates accused of shooting up a tattoo parlour owned by former Tigers star Jake King and ex-Bandido Toby Mitchell have been freed on bail.
Magistrate Julie Grainger released Yahya Aboueid and Mustafa Yuksel, both 25, into the community on Monday.
Their release came despite strong opposition by police who claimed the pair posed an unacceptable risk of reoffending and endangering the welfare of the public.
Police allege the pair sprayed bullets into City of Ink in South Melbourne before torching their stolen Hyundai getaway car, with the revolver inside, about 1.50am on July 14.
No-one was injured in the drive-by shooting.
Ms Grainger said the alleged offending was “undoubtedly very serious” but she had to consider the expected delays in the case before it could go to trial.
“I agree with the prosecution there is a risk — anyone released on bail is a risk,” Ms Grainger said.
“(But) the current two-year potential delay, I cannot ignore.”
She said strict bail conditions could allay police concerns, ordering the pair hand in their passports, report to their local police station daily, and abide by a 9pm-6am curfew.
They each also had to provide a $100,000 surety.
Ms Grainger added conditions that they do not associate with each other, or any members or associates of outlaw motorcycle clubs, or attend at Nitro gym, which has links to the Comanchero bikie gang.
They both can only carry one mobile phone, and the passwords must be provided to police, she said.
The court had earlier heard Mr Aboueid was arrested with an encrypted Samsung phone loaded with a SIM card originating from Spain.
Detective Senior Constable Scott O’Brien of the anti-bikie Echo Taskforce told the court Mr Aboueid, from Meadow Heights, was a former member of the Comanchero motorcycle club.
Det-Sen Constable O’Brien said it was Mr Yuksel’s first time in custody, but the Dallas man was a known associate of patched members of the Comanchero bikie club.
He said gunshot residue had been found on the hands of both men on their arrest.
A key for the Hyundai was also found, along with balaclavas and gloves, in a Ford sedan police later stopped them in, and took them into custody.
They are facing an array of charges including discharging a firearm at premises, using a firearm in a public place, reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, using a firearm in the commission of an indictable offence, using an unregistered handgun, theft of motor vehicle, fraudulently using a registration plate and arson.
The pair will return to court at a later date.
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