11.14 pm, Thursday May 24 2012

Bikie Focarelli loses bail bid in SA

15:24 AEDT Thu Feb 9 2012
By Sarah Malik
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Bikie boss Vincenzo Focarelli has lost a "heartfelt" court bid to attend the funeral of his son who was slain in an assassination attempt on his gang leader dad.

South Australian Supreme Court judge Ann Vanstone rejected his second bid for bail because Focarelli, 37, was a target and his release could endanger the public.

"I accept this is a genuine and heartfelt request," she said on Thursday.

"It is profoundly concerning when a man might not be able to attend his son's funeral, especially when he died in such traumatic circumstances."

But courts were not in a position to make an accurate security risk assessment of his release, the judge said.

He may still have a shot at going to the Muslim funeral, believed to be on Friday, if Correctional Services agree he can go under guard.

Focarelli was arrested last week in hospital while recovering from gunshot wounds he received when he and his son Giovanni, 22, were ambushed last month.

Giovanni, 22, died during the fourth assassination attempt on Focarelli, the self-appointed leader of the Comanchero bikie gang in Adelaide.

Police allegedly found 413 grams of the liquid drug butanediol in Focarelli's car after the shooting and charged him with trafficking and 11 breaches of bail.

In the court on Thursday, his lawyer David Edwardson, QC, argued his client was a victim and pleaded for bail.

"Mr Focarelli desperately wants to bury his son, Giovanni," he said.

No parent should have to bury their own child, but they should be allowed to be present if the child died, he said.

South Australian police would be providing security at the funeral, he said.

But Prosecutor Kos Lesses said Focarelli's presence could jeopardise other worshippers present at the mosque's Friday congregational "juma" prayers.

Mr Lesses said Focarelli had breached bail while on a serious affray charge by accepting phone calls from a well-known bikie associate, Michael Sfyris.

In tapped phone conversations, Focarelli and Sfyris discussed strategies for the New Boys gang.

Focarelli was linked to court via audio link from hospital where he remains under guard.

 

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