Moran refused bail

Judy Moran

By ADRIAN LOWE


Gangland widow Judy Moran has been refused bail after a magistrate found she had not met "exceptional circumstances".

Deputy chief magistrate, Jelena Popovic told Moran that her bail application "had not gone well", and that while she maintained concerns about her health and transport issues, there was not enough evidence to qualify her for exceptional ciurcumstances, and therefoe would not be released on bail.

The court heard earlier today that Moran told a friend that a witness in her murder committal hearing would “have the best rude awakening coming to her” if she was bailed.

Moran, 65, had resumed her bail application at the Melbourne Magistrates Court after being charged with the murder of her former brother-in-law, Des "Tuppence" Moran.

Mr Moran was shot dead in Ascot Vale last June. Judy Moran, 65, Suzanne Kane, 45, her de facto husband, Geoffrey "Nuts" Armour, 44, and Michael Farrugia, 45, are charged with Mr Moran's murder and have been committed to stand trial.

Detective Senior Constable Stephen Reidy, in opposing bail, told the court that Judy Moran had been heard on prison telephones telling friend Judy Fyfe that case witness and Des Moran's friend Sandra Cummins was “going to have the best rude awakening coming to her when I get bail you've ever seen”.

"I will fix her up (in) two shakes of a lamb's tail," Moran said.

Detective Senior Constable Reidy said Moran had shown a propensity to destroy evidence and may interefere with witnesses if released.

Earlier her lawyer, Jim Stavris, said Moran had shown exceptional circumstances because of “sensationalised media reporting” around her charge and committal.

He said this included a report that she had had a prison fight with Tania Herman, who was jailed after pleading guilty to the attempted murder of Maria Korp, in an attempt to become the top dog at Dame Phyllis Frost Prison.

Mr Stavris tended an affidavit from Herman in which she said she had never met Moran before the article was published in the Herald Sun newspaper.

"We have both been deeply hurt by the allegations in the Herald Sun," Herman wrote.

"This allegation has defamed our solid and good reputations."

But prosecutor Claire Quinn said Moran had facilitated much of the media attention focused on her.

"Her profile had been deliberately raised by herself," Ms Quinn said. "A lot of media attention is as a result of her own actions.

Source: www.theage.com.au