Injured victim’s threat to Nicholls
Witnesses tell of driveway confrontation
A MAN allegedly shot by William “Billy” Nicholls made a throat-slitting gesture to the former AFL player as he was taken away in an ambulance, the County Court has heard.
On the first day of the trial of Mr Nicholls, Detective Senior Constable Paul Michell told the court Khalib Alloush was “extremely unco-operative” as paramedics attempted to treat him outside Mr Nicholls’ then Corio home on June 18, 2012.
Mr Nicholls has pleaded not guilty to intentionally causing serious injury to Mr Alloush and to Scott Sheppard in a separate incident at North Shore on January 8, 2013.
Sen-Constable Michell said Mr Alloush was “aggressive and yelling” at Mr Nicholls and tried to look out through a gap in the doors as he was loaded into the ambulance.
“He gestured across his throat with his finger towards Mr Nicholls,” he said.
Neighbours in Springfield Court also gave evidence they saw a man hopping around in the driveway of Mr Nicholls’ home after hearing a “loud bang”.
All three said six men were at the scene when they first looked out their windows. They said two left in a Commodore shortly after.
Stuart Hunter said he saw one of the men, who wasn’t Mr Nicholls or “the hopping man”, holding a black pistol.
He agreed there was no mention of the gun in his police statement, made on the day, nor in his evidence at the committal hearing, but he “believed” he saw it.
Asked why he hadn’t mentioned it to police at the time, Mr Hunter said “no reason”.
“I don’t know why it’s not in there,” Mr Hunter said of his police statement.
Gordon Debruin told the court he saw Mr Nicholls yelling at the injured man and actions that looked like he was going to hit him.
He said he couldn’t see if they made contact because foliage at the front of the property blocked his view. Asked if he saw Mr Nicholls do anything else, Mr Debruin said “I did see him walk over to the fence and throw something over”.
Sen-Constable Michell will be cross-examined today as the trial before Judge Phillip Coish continues. Collect your FREE Disney book labels on Saturday,February 7, and FREE Frozen Storybook, CD & Collectors case this Sunday with the Geelong Advertiser. Then collect all 14 Disney Read To Me Storybooks for just $2.50 when you buy the Geelong Advertiser.