Darwin massacre exposes underbelly of crime as accused Ben Hoffman appears in court

Darwin sometimes makes sport of blaming blow-ins and southerners for its problems but there is no getting around this one. Accused gunman Ben Hoffman is born and bred.

The accused was led into a small room within the Darwin Correctional Centre wearing a red T-shirt and white shorts. One hand was heavily bandaged. His head was a mess of scars. He faced the video monitor. “Yes, I can hear you,” he told Judge Elizabeth Morris.

Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, 45, seemed anxious to talk, but this preliminary hearing did not require him to say anything. There would be no plea entered, no reading of the facts relating to his alleged twilight rampage on Tuesday when four men died and a woman survived after being shot in the legs.

Ms Morris, sitting 30km away in the Darwin Local Court, wanted to know whether Hoffmann was at risk — to himself, or from others — and asked whether she should make an order to that effect. His lawyer, Peter Maley, had nothing to say on that.

MORE: Accused Darwin gunman’s massacre apology

Hoffmann spoke. “I do need help,” he said. “And I have asked for help.”

He edged forward in his chair again. “I’m very sorry about what’s happened I want to speak to Peter (Maley) as soon as I can.”

Hoffmann had been released on parole earlier in January after serving four of his six-year sentence for violent offences. He was under strict conditions, including that he commit no further crimes, wear an ankle monitor, have no control of a firearm and that he stay away from two people, whose names have been redacted.

Ben Hoffmann led away from hospital to the Darwin watch house. Picture: Nine News

Hoffmann, charged with four counts murder, two counts of recklessly endangering life and two counts of criminal damage, had his parole revoked.

“Yeah, OK, can I speak to Peter Maley as soon as I can?” said Hoffmann. Mr Maley told his client to say no more and he would be out to see him as soon as he could.

As far as could be told, there were no families of the victims in court, and no one supporting Hoffmann. He stood and left the 12-minute hearing. His alleged rampage had taken just 28 minutes.

Ben Hoff man told the court he’s sorry in his first appearance. Picture: AAP

Hoffmann’s charges have shut a legal gate on what can from hereon be said about his background, at least until his next hearing on September 18. It is understood from people close to Hoffmann’s case that he will plead not guilty when the time comes.

However, the evidence of Hoffmann as a longstanding abuser of methamphetamine is well established. And Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said it was “likely” Hoffmann was on ice.

It is understood he went Royal Darwin Hospital the evening before seeking help, saying he felt unwell and thought someone had spiked his drink.

The court adjourned and Darwin was left coming to terms with the aftermath of one of its most savage events in living memory.

A weary NT Police Officer at the scene of the shooting at Gardens Crescent in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

DARWIN’s underbelly is different to the big capitals. There is none of the sophisticated criminal class of well-heeled untouchables who sit back and hire hit men. There are bikies, there are kid gangs and there’s a number of loosely affiliated young men who are known as repeat violent offenders.

These men are unpredictable because they tend to take matters into their own hands. Methamphetamine has done its damage and it is to be noted they aren’t growing out of it. They’re staying wired through to middle-age.

It is known that someone assisted Hoffmann in the alleged purchase of shotgun ammunition on the day. And a hunting knife. On the day of the murders, he had left Humpty Doo in the morning and had been pulled over and fined by police for speeding.

Flowers and candles at the Palms Motel where taxi driver Hassan Baydoun was killed. Picture: Keri Megelus

Though under strict parole conditions, it is thought that speeding did not meet the threshold for a parole breach. Speed cameras clocked him twice more as he drove to town.

Somehow, he had acquired an illegal pump-action shotgun which was understood to have been stolen in 1997 and had since been circulating in the underground.

Police have theorised that he was looking for someone when he went to the Palms Motel, on Finniss St at the edge of Darwin’s CBD, just before 6pm. A group of Aboriginal visitors to town, on medical appointments, were sitting down smoking fags at a hostel across the road from the Palms.

They heard shots — up to eight of them, they said — and witnessed a shooter prowling about with his gun pointed towards them. They ran for their lives inside the hostel. The first victim was taxi driver Hassan Baydoun, 33, who was killed inside the Palms.

Baydoun did not know the shooter. Friends of the Lebanese man kept a vigil until late at the nearby taxi depot, but they already knew the worst.

It is understood a woman, also unknown to the shooter, was shot in the legs after Hoffmann allegedly fired through a motel door.

CCTV shows victim Rob Courtney entering his home before he was shot dead. Picture: Supplied

Then it is alleged Hoffmann, driving a Toyota extended cab ute, drove around the corner to an address on Gardens Hill road. There, a 75-year-old man, Nigel Hellings, was shot dead inside his apartment. He had no association with Hoffmann but it is speculated the apartment, or one nearby, may once have been occupied by someone known to Hoffmann.

A short drive on, Michael Sisois, 57, was gunned down in the back carpark of the Buffs Club, an old-time drinking hole where he was a regular. He was known to Hoffmann, but any alleged motive remains unclear.

Then Hoffmann allegedly drove another two kilometres to an industrial area just off the main highway into town.

There, he entered an apartment and walked past Johnny Reid, who was sitting down watching television. Rob Courtney, 52, is believed to have engaged Hoffmann with a knife and stabbed him, but Hoffmann got the better of him and allegedly killed him with the shotgun.

Michael Sisois, 57, was shot dead in the Darwin rampage. Picture: Supplied

Again, Hoffmann and Courtney were known to each other. Courtney, who worked as a security guard at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort, had been due the following day to appear in the Supreme Court for a mention relating to an attempted rape charge.

If this played any role in Hoffmann’s alleged motivations, police are yet to say.

After the alleged rampage, Hoffmann went to the police headquarters at Berrimah. He banged on the door, with the shotgun in his right hand. Somehow, the counter staff did not recognise the threat. He left.

Hassan Baydoun, 33, was killed in the massacre. Picture: AAP

There is speculation he may have wanted to hand himself in, or have police shoot him.

Whatever the case, he drove away and got on the phone directly to Superintendent Lee Morgan, who negotiated with Hoffmann to surrender at the Daly St lights, just several hundred metres from where the killing began.

He was put to the ground and tasered, his legs running with blood.

Darwin sometimes makes sport of blaming blow-ins and southerners for its problems but there is no getting around this one. The accused is born and bred.