Ice dealer killed 30 minutes after police monitoring cut

POLICE called off the surveillance of an underworld debt collector less than 30 minutes before he allegedly executed one of Melbourne's biggest ice dealers, a court has heard.

POLICE called off the surveillance of an underworld debt collector less than 30 minutes before he allegedly executed one of Melbourne's biggest ice dealers, a court has heard.

Gavin Preston today faced the Supreme Court accused of the execution-style murder of Adam Khoury in a North Melbourne flat on February 11, 2012.

Prosecutor Mark Rochford QC revealed Preston was under surveillance at the time by police who followed him to Khoury's Canning Street apartment on the night of the murder.

But the undercover officers were told to go home at 12.25am, 29 minutes before the prosecution allege Khoury was shot twice in the head at close range and once in the arm by Preston.

The court heard Mr Rochford said Khoury was killed over a $2500 drug debt owed to another dealer and because Preston feared he had turned informer over an undisclosed criminal matter.

“Mr Preston eventually reached the conclusion that he would have to get ... the deceased before he had the opportunity to lag,” Mr Rochford told the 13 member jury.

Preston allegedly tried to set up a false alibi by having his de facto partner send a text message from his phone in Cranbourne about the same time he arrived at Khoury's home, a move the prosecution says showed the killing was planned.

But at the time of the killing, Khoury's residence was also under surveillance by a police camera that had been installed by officers conducting another operation.

The prosecution alleges that camera captured Preston arriving at the flat, the pair involved in an animated conversation outside and Preston leaving the flat just moments after the alleged murder.

But defence barrister Chris Dane QC asked the jury to keep an open mind and said many people wanted Khoury — described as a major ice and ecstasy dealer — dead.

"The man is dealing in ounces," Mr Dane said.

"The number of people who would want to kill this man must be manifold." The trial before Justice Cameron Macaulay continues.

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