Bloody sneakers vital clue

A BULLET casing and a pair of bloodied Nike shoes are set to be relied on by prosecutors to link a Gold Coast father with the shooting of a drug dealer over a $30,000 debt, a court has heard.

Marlon Hikaiti-Paul was in the Supreme Court yesterday before Justice David Jackson where the court was told that Hikaiti-Paul is accused of shooting the dealer in his arm as they drove away from a Hungry Jack’s carpark in Ashmore on the evening of May 14.

The shooting occurred while both men were in the car and was allegedly triggered by a $30,000 drug debt owed to Hikaiti-Paul, who police allege was a drug wholesaler.

Prosecutors allege that a gun found at Hikaiti-Paul’s home had been tested and when fired it matched a casing found in the unnamed drug dealer’s car. A pair of bloodied white Nike shoes, alleged to belong to Hikaiti-Paul, have also been sent away for testing by police, the court heard.

Blood was also found in a BMW M3 allegedly driven by Hikaiti-Paul after the shooting. Justice Jackson agreed to free Hikaiti-Paul on bail saying remaining behind bars was not in his best interests.

Hikaiti-Paul’s barrister Saul Holt QC told the court that Hikaiti-Paul had his jaw broken in prison and was on a “pureed diet” as he had surgery “in the last couple of days”.

He will be forced to eat through a straw for up to six weeks and has already lost 10kg, Mr Holt said.

Mr Holt said his client intended to fight the charges. Hikaiti-Paul is charged with eight offences including intention to cause grievous bodily harm, deprivation of liberty, drug supply and possession.