Underbelly Matriarch Put Away

Crime: Murder
Occurred: 15 June 2009
Sentenced: 10 August 2011
Where:  Ascot Pasta & Deli Cafe (191 Union Street, Ascot Vale)
Convicted: Judith Mary-Anne Moran and Geoffrey Armour
Victim: Desmond Moran

What happened?
Judy believed Des, her ex-brother in law, owed her some money.  She also didn't like him very much.  So she organised Geoffrey to kill Des on the anniversary of her son's death (Mark Moran).  At a cafe where Des ate everyday, Geoff and Michael Furrugia (who thought he was on a debt collection mission) walked up to Des while he was trying to pay his bill and Geoff shot him seven times with a shotgun, a few in the back of the head and some in his chest and neck.  There were several distraught witnesses who watched the scene unfold.
Judy drove the getaway car.  She was later caught dumping the car by police.

Desmond's background
No one from Des' family submitted a victim impact statement - the only person who did was someone who witnessed the murder.  Des claimed to be out of the criminal business and had survived an earlier attempt on his life in March 2009.

Judy's background

Judy was 66 years old at the time of sentencing.  She quit school at 12 and worked as a machinist making clothing and then worked at Myers.  In her capacity as a professional dancer she performed on television programs during the 1960s.  Her two partners have both been killed (after they were separated from her) and she lost two sons during the Melbourne gangland killings in the early 2000s.  She developed health problems as she has aged and has osteoarthritis in both knees and hip problems.


Geoff's background
Geoff was 45 years old at the time of sentencing.  He was 12 when his parents separated and he left school when he was 14.  He has convictions in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria for offences including assault, drug possession and theft, none of which resulted in a term of imprisonment. He ran a business in Western Australia until it fell apart during the global financial crisis.  Whilst in remand, Geoff rescued another prisoner who was trying to hang himself.

Outcome of trial: Geoff pleaded guilty of murder and did not require a trial.  Judy pleaded not guilty of murder but was found guilty by a jury.

Sentence:  Geoff and Judy were both sentenced to 21 years imprisonment before eligible for parole (26 years max) and have already served a little over two years of their sentence in remand.

You can read Judy's judgement here and Geoffrey's judgement here and media coverage here and here.

Non-Payment of $2000 Debt Costs Life

A heroin addict was killed during an argument over money owed.

Crime:  Manslaughter

Occurred:  13 June 2004

Sentenced: 4 February 2011

Where: Convicted's home - not identified (body found in Thomastown)

Convicted: Bassam Tiba

Victim: Richard Haddara


What happened?
Richard owed Bassam's brother, Zain, some money.  Richard accepted $2000 in exchange for supplying electrical equipment, but never provided the equipment or returned the money.

On Sunday 13 June 2004, at Bassam's residence, Bassam had an argument with Richard over the money and stabbed him once in the chest, which pierced his heart and killed him.  Bassam put Richard in the back of Richard's car and drove it over to Zain's house, who jumped in the car and urged Bassam to go to the hospital.  Bassam drove in that direction but decided to dump the car at a carpark in Thomastown instead. He travelled on foot to another brother's house (Mohammed) and the next day flew out of Australia with his family, using Mohammed's passport.  He was extradited from Honiara in the Solomon Islands in December 2008.

Victim's background
Richard was a heroin addict who met Bassam in prison.  Before his death he was avoiding Bassam and his brother and was either unwilling or unable to pay back the debt owing.

Convicted's background
Bassam was born in Lebanon and came to Australia at the age of 12 with his parents and seven siblings.  He left Preston Tech after completing Year 10.  In 2000 he was imprisoned for four years and six months (before eligible for parole), for savagely beating his wife with a hose and a metal tipped cane.  His wife stayed loyal and waited for him while he was in prison.  He was out on parole for a month when he stabbed Richard to death.  After the killing he fled to Lebanon and then Egypt, working as an English teacher with his wife.  When he is released from prison he wants to return to his wife and children who remain in Egypt.  Currently in restrictive custody, he has been confined to his cell for 18 hours a day since May 2010, following an incident in prison involving other members of the Haddara family.

Outcome of trial: Bassam was originally indicted for murder, but once the charge was changed to manslaughter he pleaded guilty so there was no need for a trial.

Sentence:  6 years and 6 months before eligible for parole (max 10 years).

You can read the judgement here.  This killing has taken place in the midst of family feuding in the northern and western suburbs (major players including the Haddaras, Bibas and Chaouks).  You can read about it here, here and here.  The death toll points to another major gang war currently playing out around us.