Karen Ristevski’s stepson Anthony Rickard arrested day before accused Borce Ristevski’s committal hearing
KAREN Ristevski’s stepson left the Herald Sun a series of messages before he was dramatically arrested on the eve of court proceedings in which his father will be accused of murdering the Avondale Heights mum. READ THE MESSAGES
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KAREN Ristevski’s stepson has been dramatically arrested on the eve of court proceedings in which his father will be accused of murdering her.
Anthony Rickard, 34, was arrested at a Diggers Rest property at 12.20am Sunday morning.
He had earlier told the Herald Sun police were at his property and that he did not want to take the stand.
Mr Rickard is listed as a witness in the committal hearing against his father Borce, which begins Monday morning.
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The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court was told Mr Rickard — who was arrested on outstanding warrants — did not want to give evidence and had been dodging police for months.
He failed to appear for a planned meeting with missing persons squad detectives on Friday and did not respond to attempts to contact him, the court heard.
The unlicensed Rickard was allegedly seen by police driving erratically that night but officers chose not to pull him over because of his behaviour, the court was told.
When police tried making contact again yesterday, Rickard “replied with profanity and stated he was not going to hand himself in and not give evidence at court” a police prosecutor told the court.
Police had been trying to serve him with a witness summons since May.
He was arrested in a midnight raid on a home belonging to a woman and her 14-year-old daughter.
“Police announced their presence, at which time all occupants feigned not being home despite being observed by police,” the police prosecutor said.
“Police forced entry into the dwelling and arrested the applicant.”
Drug paraphernalia was allegedly found in his room when police moved in.
When he arrived at Melbourne West police station, he was served with the witness summons and allegedly told police he was not going to appear in court and it was “lucky police got me”.
He appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday in a blue T-shirt emblazoned with the word “rogue” and was denied bail.
The court was told the warrant was made when Rickard failed to appear after being granted bail in August on breaching an intervention order and threatening serious injury charges.
Legal Aid lawyer Jacob Torney told the court Rickard was in hospital when the warrant was issued.
Moments before his arrest Mr Rickard told the Herald Sun in a series of phone messages that police had his house surrounded and he was “so scared”.
He said he did not want to give evidence because he believed he could be made to look a fool.
Mr Rickard said he worried that a previous brain injury may mean he would not be able to articulate himself and would be quick to anger or swear.
He also said he felt “harassed” by police and no longer trusted them.
“I’m over being targeted … I will not be pushed around,” he said.
Mr Rickard said he was trying to get on with his life, stay healthy, get back to work and move away from his troubled past.
“I am happy and at peace and life is fantastic,” he said in recent weeks.
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The property is owned by Kim Barcellona, who told the Herald Sun detectives and uniformed police surrounded the house shortly before midnight.
“There were at least a dozen, they were in the front yard,” she said.
“I’ve got an empty paddock next to me, they were in the paddock, they were in the backyard … they were banging on the door.”
Mr Rickard is one of dozens of witnesses scheduled to appear at the committal hearing proceedings which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial.
The couple’s daughter, Sarah, is also expected to give evidence.
Borce Ristevski is charged with the murder of his fashion store-owner wife at their Avondale Heights home in June, 2016.
Her body was found by a bushwalker in the Macedon Regional Park eight months later.
Mr Rickard has been remanded in custody over the bail matters until next Friday.
— with AAP