News, links, analysis and comments on Melbourne's Underworld

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Hot Diggity DOG!

Now this story has the potential to blow a few copper's hats off...:

TWO Victorian policemen are being investigated over their connection to a lucrative hot dog business that makes up to $10,000 each weekend.


What's the big frickin' deal I heard you ask? So they sell past-used-by 'dogs in stale buns to pissed punters?

Problem 1:
...the ethical standards department was probing claims that Shot Dogs paid off-duty officers cash to sell hot dogs and marked police cars had been seen delivering bread rolls and other food to vans when supplies ran low.

Reminds one of New York's Finest Taxi service.

Problem 2:
Senior Sergeant Lewis was registered as the company's original director when Shot Dogs was established in 1995. Australian Securities and Investments Commission records reveal that he has since transferred the business into his wife's name.

Sergeant Brodie's wife is also listed as a director, with a 50 per cent holding in the company.

So you shuffle the deck chairs about and pretend that the past never happened. I sincerely hope these guys don't do any detective work: they'd never catch themselves.

Problem 3:
Another policeman, St Kilda sergeant Chris Lim, helped to establish the business but withdrew a few months later. Sergeant Lim is being investigated by Victoria Police's ethical standards department over his interests in a property company, in which a fellow investor is an associate of Mick Gatto, the man acquitted of murdering Andrew Veniamin in Melbourne's gangland war.

Oh dear- that's a worry. Not the Gatto connection, but rather "St Kilda sergeant". Also known as the "dodgy cops r us" station. Oh and the Gatto connection is still suss.

Problem 4:
The Age has also been told that Shot Dogs bought underworld figure Michael Marshall's hot dog van after he was gunned down outside his South Yarra home in October 2003. Police believe Marshall also used his business, Love Dogs, based outside the Motel nightclub, as a front to sell amphetamines.


Folks, this is the fucking kicker. What, did Wayne Strawhorn do the odd night working in the van? Christ did you read the bit: a front to sell amphetamines. Get that? ok, we'll cut paste it a few times till you do.a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines.a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines.

Right. Back to work. Business as usual. Standby for Paul Mullett to crap on about how "cops should be allowed to have outside interests" and totally jump over the fact that once gain, he's defending dodgy cops. We'll be doing a detailed post about ol' Paul and his recent problems. Hopefully it will be when he's tipped out of the Police Assoc. chair.


Michael Marshall murder- The Age
Shot Dogs article- The Age

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Where's Tony?

Ok here's a bunch of stuff to check out about the big man OFF campus:


Right get reading- add any items to the comments section and we'll blog 'em up

MUI

1-0 down with 8 minutes to play

Australia vs Japan?

NO YOU IDIOTS! listen up- Zarah has waved the white flag of surrender:

Lawyer gives up appeal against contempt conviction

Melbourne lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson has abandoned her appeal against her conviction for contempt of court after being warned it could result in a harsher penalty.


Oh damn! She's slowly being painted into a corner. No appeal= no career. Appeal= possible even worse sentence + disbarring. No third option your worship?

It's not a certainty that she will be disbarred (ie there is no mandatory sentence), but hell- it will all add up to the point where there's no freakin' choice but to send her on her way.

Maybe she will do medicine- a sort of reverse Geoffrey Edelsten or Irene Bolger?

We wish her well and will follow this as the hearings and so on are conveyned.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Punch and Judy show

From AAP, via Az...

TWO men accused of threatening to slit the throat of Melbourne gangland widow Judy Moran have been jailed.

Mrs Moran had earlier told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court two men screamed abuse at her, called her a dog, accused her of being a police informer and said they would slit her throat. The incident happened at the Brunswick Club in June last year. Her husband, Lewis Moran, 58, was shot dead in the club in March, 2004.

Rodney Robinson, 53, of Epping, and Robert Gillick, 35, of Greensborough, both pleaded not guilty to charges, including making threats to kill.

Magistrate Duncan Reynolds dismissed the charge of making threats to kill, however found the men guilty of using threatening words.

He sentenced Robinson to two months' prison and Gillick to one month in jail, saying that was the only appropriate sentence in both cases.

Mr Reynolds said the men's behaviour that night caused disquiet to numerous patrons at the club.

He said he took into account both men had significant criminal pasts, but had made changes in their lives to put this behind them.

Robinson and Gillick have indicated they will lodge an appeal.