Ron Medich found guilty of Michael McGurk’s contract murder

Property developer Ron Medich has been found guilty of ordering the murder of rival businessman Michael McGurk.

Ron Medich is led from court today. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Property developer Ron Medich has been found guilty of ordering the murder of his former business partner Michael McGurk.

After almost two weeks of deliberation, a jury this morning returned guilty verdicts on both the murder count against 70-year-old Medich and a separate charge of intimidating Mr McGurk’s widow, Kimberley.

Michael McGurk was gunned down in front of his young son outside their home in Cremorne, Sydney in 2009.

Medich had pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Mr McGurk, 45, was fatally shot outside his home in Sydney’s Cremorne in September 2009. The attack took place in front of his son.

Two men have already been convicted of firing the fatal shots.

During court proceedings it was alleged that Medich had been heard saying “If I had a gun I would kill him,” at a meeting prior to his killing. “This f — ing bastard is ruining my life,” he added.

Medich has not been granted bail, and the court will make further directions regarding sentencing submissions on Friday.

A NSW Supreme Court jury was discharged last April after failing to reach verdicts but today a second jury found Medich guilty of both charges.

Medich appeared shell-shocked at the verdicts which came after the 11-men jury had deliberated for five-and-half days.

The millionaire, who had been on bail for the duration of his trial, was taken into custody and, before being led away by prison officers, handed over his valuables to his barrister Winston Terracini SC.

Star Crown witness Lucky Gattellari testified that his former close friend Medich had become very angry about his ongoing and protracted legal battles with Mr McGurk, involving millions of dollars.

Medich told him he had been made a “laughing stock in the eastern suburbs”, that Mr McGurk was ruining his reputation and he wanted Gattellari to find someone “to take care of this guy”.

Gattellari said he asked Medich if he was sure about the murder, saying “there’s no going back”, and he replied: “I am sure. I want him done.”

Gattellari testified that he twice went to Medich’s Point Piper home when the developer handed him bags containing $250,000 in cash.

But the defence attacked Gatterllari’s credibility, describing the former boxing champion as “scum”, “a spiv”, a “wicked man” and “a rip-off merchant” and suggesting he was the sole organiser of the murder.

Mr Terracini told the jurors he had told them so many lies it was impossible to determine when he was lying and when he was telling the truth. The Crown acknowledged Gattellari “is never going to be awarded Australian of the Year” and was a man prepared to bend the rules — exactly the type of man you would want to arrange a murder and intimidation.

Gattellari received a 60 per cent discount on his sentence after admitting his role in the murder and helping authorities, while three other men have been jailed for their roles.

With AAP