Garry Sullivan, a former rugby league player, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday over an alleged armed robbery that occurred more than three decades ago. The 78-year-old is accused of shooting three people during a violent heist at Chadstone shopping centre on May 16, 1994.
Court Hearing Details
During the brief hearing, Sullivan was not required to speak, and no specifics of the alleged crimes were read to the court. His lawyer, Felix Best, informed the court that Sullivan suffers from coronary artery disease, mouth cancer, and coeliac disease. He added that Sullivan had not eaten for several days due to a lack of gluten-free meals available in police custody.
Background of the Case
Victoria Police reopened the investigation into the armed robbery weeks before Sullivan's arrest after receiving new intelligence. Detective Inspector Adam Tilley stated that the unknown offender ordered the guards to 'get down, drop the money' before shooting one guard in the right ankle. The bullet then ricocheted into another guard's shoe. The offender took cash-filled bags and stole two Armaguard revolvers.
A 40-year-old Doveton man who chased the fleeing gunman was also shot in the leg, shattering his femur. Carl Benjaminsen, son of the deceased Armaguard employee Sverre Benjaminsen, expressed that his father carried the trauma for the rest of his life and that the family was eager to 'finally see justice done.'
Next Steps
Sullivan did not apply for bail on Monday and was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear via videolink at Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 13.
