Angelo Gargasoulas, 26, and brother of alleged Bourke Street killer Dimitrious Gargasoulas has appeared in court, accused of breaking and entering and assaulting a woman in her home las Saturday under the influence of the drug ice.
He is also accused of smashing the woman’s $100 phone including a $500 glass door at her home in Carlton.
The man appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday faces single charges of drug and weapon possession and has been charged with unlawful assault with a weapon, unlawful assault and two counts each of entering a building with the intent to assault a person and intentionally damaging property. He agreed to abide by an intervention order that prevents him having any contact with the woman he allegedly assaulted.
Meanwhile, his older brother Dimitrious Gargasoulas is in custody and faces six charges of murder and 28 counts of attempted murder for the Bourke Street massacre on January 20, when he allegedly started running people over with his car.
As the inquest by the Coroners Court is to begin Mrs Mandy Fox, said proceeding with the hearing any earlier risked the proper administration of justice as details of the specific focus of the inquest were still being worked through, such as the police response to the tragedy and the reasons Mr Gargasoulas was free on bail will be key areas of interest.
It is also anticipated that the matters examined in the inquest will include the circumstances in which Mr Gargasoulas was rather controversially released onto bail on 14 January 2017 after a string of driving and assault charges before the tragedy.
In the hours before the Bourke Street incident, Mr he had allegedly stabbed his brother, kidnapped his girlfriend and been followed by police.
“We are acutely aware of the intense public interest surrounding the matters likely to be examined in the course of this inquest,” she said. “There is a very significant public interest in having all matters investigated in an open, fair, complete and timely manner. There is also however, a fundamental public interest in ensuring the criminal justice process is not compromised.
“In our opinion, it is not possible to proceed with the inquest or any discreet area of inquiry within the inquest without creating an unacceptable risk of compromising the criminal proceedings and the rights of the accused to a fair trial,” she stressed, adding that “We respectfully submit to your Honour that the further hearing of this inquest should be adjourned to a date to be fixed, pending the determination of the criminal charges against Mr Gargasoulas.”