Lucky Gattellari faces charge of conspiracy to defraud Ron Medich

EXCLUSIVE: Convicted criminal and former boxer Lucky Gattellari has appeared before a Sydney court today charged with conspiracy to defraud businessman Ron Medich.

Lucky Gattellari has been charged with conspiracy to defraud Ron Medich. Picture: Toby Zerna

CONVICTED criminal and former boxer Lucky Gattellari has appeared before a Sydney court charged with conspiracy to defraud businessman Ron Medich.

Mr Medich has pleaded not guilty to the murder of developer Michael McGurk and is due to stand trial late next month.

The 66-year-old was sentenced to a minimum seven-and-a-half years’ jail in 2013 for organising the hit on McGurk.

McGurk, 45, was executed at close range outside of his Cremorne home on Sydney’s north shore in September, 2009.

Gattellari appeared before Central Local Court today via video link from a small room at Long Bay jail.

Dressed in green shorts and a matching T-shirt, Gattellari sat on a black swivel chair shook his head and smiled as Magistrate Robert Williams addressed him.

Ron Medich will stand trial next year over the alleged murder of Michael McGurk.

When asked if he was he was unrepresented, Gattellari said “yes I am”.

He then added: “In keeping with this farce of an investigation — they only gave me 24 hours notice that I was supposed to appear before you guys.”

When Magistrate Roberts explained that a brief would be served on February 2 and that his mater would be mentioned again on February 17, Gattellari again shook his head.

“This whole thing is a farce,” he said.

According to the police charge sheet, which was tendered to the court, it is alleged that Gattellari conspired with two other men to defraud Medich in 2013.

Medich was due to stand trial for the murder in July this year but the jury was discharged on the first day after it was revealed that details of an “incident” of significance was revealed at the 11th hour.

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The NSW Supreme Court heard that new information was only served on Medich just five minutes before his trial was due to being on July 11.

At the time Justice Geoffrey Bellew said Medich “cannot be forced to go to trial in these circumstances”.

Justice Bellew also said it was “inconceivable” that the detectives attached to the case would not have known about of the late material that was served in regards to the 2013 incident.

Medich has pleaded not guilty to murdering McGurk and also denies a charge of threatening and intimidating McGurk’s wife Kimberley following the murder.

Gattellari’s matter will be mentioned in the same court again in February but he will no be required to appear if he is legally represented.

Originally published as Lucky Gattellari faces charge of conspiracy to defraud Ron Medich