Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
National
Georgie Moore

Man accused of ex-cop shooting denied bail

One of three men charged with trying to murder ex-detective Sid Morgan has been denied bail. (AAP)

A former NSW police officer allegedly warned of a "bloodbath" before being shot in the face during an argument with three Irishmen in Melbourne.

Mark Dixon, Jack Harvey and Stephen Tahaney are charged with trying to murder ex-detective Sid Morgan at Point Cook in February 2019.

Dixon, who denies pulling the trigger, had his bid to be released on bail knocked back by Victoria's Supreme Court on Friday.

The court was told of hostile texts exchanged in the lead-up to the shooting and Mr Morgan warning there would be a "bloodbath".

Defence lawyer Geoffrey Stewart said Mr Morgan had been "flogging" one of Dixon's co-accused and tried to get into the trio's car at Point Cook when he was shot in the face.

In the 1990s, Mr Morgan was acquitted of murdering his brother-in-law Mansour Suha in Sydney.

The 2019 shooting left the former detective with a serious brain injury and he required life-long care following a year-long stint in hospital and rehab.

Dixon is accused of fleeing the scene in an "elaborate" fashion with Harvey. They allegedly hid out in Byron Bay before being arrested and brought back to Victoria.

Prosecutor Jim Shaw said Dixon, in Australia illegally, risked being taken into immigration detention if bailed.

From there, Mr Shaw was concerned Dixon may elect to be deported to Ireland in a bid to avoid standing trial for attempted murder.

The trial is scheduled for January, but likely will be pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Shaw argued Dixon was "no stranger to using violence" and had previously been accused of punching a woman in the face at a party.

Justice Andrew Tinney was not convinced by a $50,000 bail surety offered by Dixon's family in Ireland.

The man has spent 576 days in custody and claims measures to prevent the virus spreading in the prison system are not up to scratch.

This was denied by a Corrections Victoria statement provided to the court by prosecutors.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.