Melbourne Pavilion suspect Ali El Nasher ambushed after being charged
The organised crime figure charged over the Melbourne Pavilion boxing shooting has been ambushed by “heavies” at a boat ramp just months after being freed.
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A Middle Eastern organised crime figure charged over the Melbourne Pavilion boxing event shooting has been ambushed by “heavies” at a boat ramp just months after being freed on strict bail, a court has heard.
Police arrested Ali El Nasher, 30, on Monday for allegedly breaching his bail curfew after police attended reports of an affray at St Kilda marina about 9.20pm on November 2.
In an application to revoke his bail in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Detective Brendan Humby, from the Echo Taskforce, said the two-minute melee was caught on CCTV.
“You can clearly see punches and kicks being thrown,” Det Humby said.
But he said Mr El Nasher was not the instigator and instead the victim, being struck in the head with a weapon.
The court heard he attended Royal Melbourne Hospital later that night for treatment, sustaining a fractured wrist, two black eyes and swelling to his face.
But Det Humby said Mr El Nasher told police a “fabricated” story about being injured in a car crash, yet could not give any further details about where or the vehicle.
He has refused to make a statement or identify any of the men from the boat ramp attack.
Mr El Nasher has not been charged with affray, but instead for breaching his 8pm to 7am curfew by being at the boat ramp. He is also facing two counts of failing to provide the PIN of his mobile phones, another bail requirement.
The court heard he and his brother were bringing their boat back in when a group of men of Middle Eastern and Lebanese appearance surrounded them.
Witnesses told police, the detective said, they were too fearful to get involved or make statements.
“They did not want to get involved in such a violent incident,” Detective Humby said.
“They'd heard the people involved were heavies. They thought they were trouble — they just didn’t want to have any involvement.”
Police are probing if the affray relates to ongoing tensions between two clashing Middle Eastern clans.
An earlier court heard how the shootout at the boxing event in Kensington on March 1 last year was a result of escalating violence among the feuding groups, including a drive-by shooting on the El Nasher family home and an arson attack on Mr El Nasher’s panel beating workshop.
Mr El Nasher, 30, is charged with attempted murder over the boxing shooting after he allegedly stomped on the head of a man who was shot multiple times in the foyer.
He was freed on bail in June after the Court of Appeal outlined weaknesses in the case and that a jury “could not legitimately conclude” he intended to kill.
His brother Abdullah El Nasher is charged with the murder of father Ben Togiai, who was shot outside the venue.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
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