Twist in fatal shooting sparked by stolen DJ gear
A father accused of shooting dead a man over stolen DJ gear in Oakleigh East has revealed key information to police, which has allowed his co-accused teenage sons to walk from prison.
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A father accused of shooting dead a man during what police allege was a vengeful home invasion has revealed where he hid the gun, allowing his co-accused teenage sons to be bailed, a court has heard.
Tony Panagiotou, 56, contacted police through his lawyer just days after magistrate Constantinos Kilias last month said he would not grant bail to his sons John, 18, and George, 22 and their friend Jonathon Atalalis, 24, until the firearm and other unknown co-accused were found.
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The revelation was heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today where the brothers, and Mr Atalalis, successfully applied for their release into the community.
It was also revealed police had charged two more of the boys’ mates, Marc Amad and Ameer Jarrar, both 18, who were also freed on bail.
Mr Panagiotou is charged with murdering father-of-five Duane Hutchings, 44, at an Oakleigh East property he and the five young men allegedly stormed to recover DJ equipment stolen from their party hire business about 5am on February 9.
His sons, along with Mr Atalalis, Mr Amad and Mr Jarrar, face charges of aggravated home invasion, assault with batons, and intentionally cause injury.
The court heard Mr Panagiotou, from Doncaster East, was woken by his older son George to go to collect the stolen items, saying: “Don’t worry, we have our batons.”
Hours earlier they had reported to police seeing a Gumtree advertisement online selling DJ equipment they suspected to be stolen from their company, Love It Loud.
Mr Panagiotou has made full admissions about his involvement, the court heard, but said none of the co-accused knew he was armed with a sawn-off shotgun.
Homicide Squad detective Megan Adams told the court Mr Atalalis, a co-founder of Love It Loud with the Panagiotou brothers, pretended to be a would-be buyer by the name “Steve”, texting a woman who had placed the ad.
Det Senior Constable Adams said the woman was house-sitting at the property, and her friend, Mr Hutchings, was an innocent bystander who had no involvement in the DJ equipment or Gumtree ad.
She said the woman had identified, through a photoboard, George Panagiotou was the perpetrator who stopped her from calling Triple 0 to get help for an injured Mr Hutchings.
An extendible baton suspected of being used in the home invasion has also been found in the lining of the car George and his father, Tony, drove to the scene, she said.
Younger brother John Panagiotou drove in a separate car to the property, picking up Mr Amad and Mr Jarrar on the way.
Last month, in the Panagiotou family’s first court appearance before Mr Kilias, the magistrate warned: “Whilst that firearm or any potential co-accused are out in the community I will not be granting bail.”
Today, he remarked: “Might I say, my invitation seems to have been accepted. We’ve got the gun off the streets.”
He then granted each of the young men bail, saying their unblemished records would make them vulnerable in “the toxic environment of an adult prison”.
Mr Hutchings’ brother Liam shook his head in court as he learnt each was bailed.
Outside court, he said it was an extra kick in the guts to see all of the supporters of the accused laughing, crying and celebrating that their loved ones were freed.
“I just don’t think they fully understand the reality of the situation. An innocent person has been killed. He didn’t deserve this.”
Mr Panagiotou, who remains locked up, will return to court with the five co-accused on June 3.
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