Four to stand trial over Moran murder

Gangland widow Judy Moran and three co-accused will stand trial for the murder of
her brother-in-law Des "Tuppence" Moran.
Mr Moran was the fourth member of the Moran family to be gunned down when he was
shot at an Ascot Vale cafe in Melbourne's north on June 15 last year.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury will now decide whether Judy Moran, 65, Suzanne Kane,
46, her de facto partner Geoffrey Armour, 44, and Michael Farrugia, 45, are guilty
of his murder.
After a three-week committal hearing, Deputy Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic on
Friday also ordered Armour to stand trial on a second charge of attempted murder
relating to an unsuccessful hit on Mr Moran on March 17 last year.
The crown alleges Moran planned the murder of her former husband's brother and drove
Armour and Farrugia to and from the scene of last June's shooting.
It is alleged that former Rebels bikie boss Armour carried out the shooting,
accompanied by Farrugia, while Kane is accused of helping to plan the murder and
disposing of evidence.
In documents tendered to the Melbourne Magistrates Court, the crown alleges Mr
Moran's murder was "planned and calculated" by Moran in the belief she would benefit
financially from her brother-in-law's death.
But Moran's lawyer Jim Stavris said she was not a beneficiary in Mr Moran's will. Mr
Stavris called for the charges against his client to not proceed.
It is also alleged Moran paid Armour and Kane to carry out the murder on her behalf.
Documents released to the media also reveal that prosecutors believe another attempt
on Mr Moran's life was in the works just days before his murder.
On June 11, Moran and Kane allegedly conducted surveillance on Mr Moran at the
Flemington Racecourse Tabaret. Defence lawyers say they did not.
Between 7.50pm and 8pm on that day, Moran and Kane are accused of making a number of
calls to Armour's mobile phone.
"It is alleged that both Moran and Kane were attempting to locate the deceased in
order for Armour to murder him," a prosecution summary tendered to the court said.
In one message left on Armour's phone, Moran allegedly is heard to say in the
background to Kane: "Murder on".
The crown also alleges that on the following day, June 12, Armour and Farrugia went
'target practice' shooting together at a farm in Melbourne's west.
Armour is accused of firing all seven shots at Mr Moran at the cafe.
Witness Peter Kirchner has told the committal hearing the man firing kept "pumping"
the shots.
"He just kept pumping them into Des. I think he was just making sure he was dead,"
Mr Kirchner said in his police statement.
Armour, according to the prosecution, was the president of the Melbourne chapter of
the Rebels Motorcycle Club from 2003 to 2005, while phone taps showed he is also an
associate of gangland identity Mick Gatto.
The crown alleges Armour and Kane had moved to Melbourne from Western Australia in
May last year and were living with Judy Moran.
It is alleged they had run up debts of about $200,000.
Armour did not apply for bail.
Both Moran and Farrugia have applied for bail but their bail hearings were adjourned
to later this month.
Kane was released on bail.
The four are due to face a directions hearing in the Supreme Court on April 29.



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