A man accused of a shooting at a Melbourne worksite was allegedly involved in a long-running dispute about rubbish dumping with the injured man.
Paolo Mannici allegedly complained to police about the dumping at his Ravenhall salvage yard in the days before Wednesday’s incident, it has been revealed in the his bail application.
Prosecutors opposed bail for the 89-year-old, who police said had to be restrained by several people after the incident.
Senior Constable Simon McCloskey said Mr Mannici and the other man previously had an agreement that Mr Mannici would be paid for rubbish to be dumped at the yard.
“There was some falling out between the two and the victim has refused to pay,” he told Melbourne Magistrates Court.
He said the victim told police that on the day of the incident, Mr Mannici approached him from behind and fired a shot from a Beretta handgun, striking him in the right upper arm.
The detective said the men began to struggle and the gun went off during the struggle.
Witnesses grabbed the handgun from Mr Mannici and several people restrained the grandfather on the ground until police arrived, he said.
The injured man has had surgery for nerve damage and remains in hospital.
Tweet from @MelissaBrownABC
Mr Mannici’s lawyer Tanya Skvortsova said her client had complained to police about an assault where he was the victim first, as well as about illegal dumping.
She said Mr Mannici believed police were going to tell the alleged victim he couldn’t go on the property anymore.
But Magistrate Kieran Gilligan said it didn’t mean there was no strong case against Mr Mannici.
“There may have been a dispute initially, but he’s produced a gun and shot a man,” he said.
Ms Skvortsova said it was Mr Mannici’s first time in custody.
He ran a real estate business that was his “pride and joy” and was relied on by family, including his wife, three children and six grandchildren.
Mr Mannici came to Australia from Italy about 70 years ago. He let family live rent free at some of his properties and had a full-time job maintaining those properties, Ms Skvortsova said.
Nobody else could step in and do that role for him, she said.
Mr Mannici also has health issues, including a weakened heart after a heart attack a few years ago.
Mr Gilligan said delays, significant health issues and the fact it was Mr Mannici’s first time in custody at 89 pointed toward granting bail.
-AAP
The post Man, 89, bailed over Melbourne worksite shooting appeared first on The New Daily.
**Know benefits of facebook marketing --http://bit.ly/2RgChw3