Men arrested over police shooting at Moonee Ponds
UPDATE: JAIL gang Prisoners of War and its leader, Matthew Johnson, have been linked to the attacks on George and Roberta Williams and the shooting of a police officer.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
UPDATE: JAIL gang Prisoners of War and its leader, Matthew Johnson, have been linked to attacks on George and Roberta Williams and the shooting of a police officer.
Rodney Phillips, 24, of Oak Park, and Sam Liszczak, 22, of Morwell have been charged with firebombing houses and shooting at George Williams’ house before the attempted murder of a police officer tailing them.
Roberta Williams and her family had been the victims of a hate campaign in the weeks leading up the incident.
Both Phillips and Liszczak are linked to Johnson - who killed Carl Williams - and the other man in the room with them, Tommy Ivanovic.
Graphic images of Williams’ bloodied body in the aftermath of Johnson’s attack on him at Barwon Prison in 2010 were posted on Facebook and threatening messages sent aimed at Roberta.
The images were part of the police investigation as to what may have led to the attacks in Broadmeadows and Essendon.
The Facebook pages of both accused men link them to the prison gang, who have a hatred of police and informers.
Phillips and Liszczak appeared consecutively at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.
Both were placed behind glass and flanked by two guards.
Defence lawyer Melinda Walker said Liszczak suffered broken ribs and a dog bite to his shoulder during his arrest and required urgent medical attention.
Prosecutor Gemma Walton told the court police needed to examine 80 points of CCTV footage, comb through 1500 intercepted telephone calls and take statements from at least 50 police officers involved in the investigation.
The men were charged after raids on properties in Morwell, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale.
The arrests came two weeks after a police officer was shot in the early hours of July 7 by a man who fired a shotgun at officers in a marked car.
The 31-year-old police officer suffered a wound to the head when he tried to intercept a 4WD, which was later found torched in Coburg North.
The policemen were following a Ford Escape seen during an arson attacks and a drive-by shooting aimed at George Williams’ house in Broadmeadows, and another earlier attack in Roberta Williams’ street in Essendon.
The occupants are alleged to have shot at police in Robinson St, Moonee Ponds after doing a U-turn and firing a shotgun at the car.
The men have been charged with attempted murder, using a firearm to prevent arrest, being a prohibited person possessing a firearm, arson, reckless conduct endangering life and theft of motor vehicle.
Neither Phillips or Liszczak applied for bail and both were remanded to reappear for committal mention on November 4.
Police are investigating whether there arelinks to a terror campaign against the family of slain gangster Carl Williams during the same period.
One theory is that the gunman had been en route to the Essendon home of Carl’s former wife, Roberta, when intercepted.
Her home had been the suspected target of a molotov cocktail attack days earlier.
A home nearby was firebombed again last week in what may have been an onslaught directed at the Williams family.
Det-Supt Peter De Santo said the warrants were part of an ongoing investigation into the July 7 shooting of First Constable Ben Ashmole at Moonee Ponds and a series of attacks near the
Williams homes in Katandra Cres Broadmeadows and Primrose St Essendon.
“I would also like to thank the community of Victoria for their ongoing assistance in this investigation and also the efforts of three members of the armed crime squad in resolving this in a very timely manner,” he said.
“We’re very grateful for the assistance from the Victorian community and reassurance to the communities out in Katandra Cres and Primrose St that we’ve resolved the matters.”
Constable Ashmole, who was shot in the head, is recovering well but yet to return to work.
Anyone with further information in relation to the police shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
- with Padraic Murphy