Woman duped friend’s alleged attackers twice: court
A “late night boogie” ended in tragedy when an innocent partygoer was allegedly gunned down by a vengeful father whose sons’ DJ expensive equipment had been stolen, a court has heard.
Law & Order
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The female friend of a man who was shot dead in a home invasion had duped his alleged attackers of their expensive DJ equipment twice, a court has heard.
Duane Hutchings, 44, died after being shot in the head less than 30 minutes after arriving at the woman’s house for what she described as “a late night boogie”.
The woman, who cannot be identified, has told a Melbourne Magistrates Court hearing for six men accused of the attack on Mr Hutchings, how her quick money-making scam to hire DJ equipment and offsell it on Gumtree had led to her innocent friend’s death.
Tony Panagiotou, 56, is charged with the murder of Mr Hutchings.
Mr Panagiotou’s sons John, 18, and George, 22, and their friends Jonathon Atalalis, 24, and Marc Amad and Ameer Jarrar, both 18, are facing an array of charges including assault, and intentionally and recklessly causing injury.
The woman said she hired “decks” from the Love It Loud party hire business — which is owned and run by the Panagiotou brothers and Mr Atalalis — and sent a photo that falsely purported she had paid the bill on February 6.
Once it got delivered, her and two other male friends took pictures and advertised it online.
When their plan was so successful, selling it for $3200, she said they split the cash and did it again two days later, calling the same company.
Only this time, her male friend spoke on the phone instead of her to avoid suspicion, and a different pick-up location was organised.
When she was contacted by an interested buyer called “Stephen” she arranged for him to inspect it at the Oakleigh East property she was house-sitting.
Relaying what happened next, she said after “Stephen” agreed to purchase it, he went outside to get cash from his car, and returned with a group of armed men.
“There was a lot of yelling and s--- happening,” the woman told the court.
“They just came in and went straight into action.
“From my understanding every one had some sort of weapon on them … crowbars, metal pole, the gun, obviously.”
She told the court they assaulted Mr Hutchings and then “the older man” pulled out the double barrel shotgun from under his jumper and fired.
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“When Duane fell to the ground, I went to get up. He wouldn’t let me help him. He said to sit the f--- down and not to get up,” she said.
The hearing, in which magistrate Simon Zebrowksi must determine if there is sufficient evidence for them to stand trial, continues.