Melbourne: An Australian woman charged for killing her 37-year-old Indian boyfriend by pumping 10 bullets in his head was Wednesday denied bail by the Supreme Court saying that she could flee the country.
Gold Coast-based businessman Shyam 'Sam' Dhody was allegedly shot dead by 27-year-old Melissa Lee Shaw on July 5 this year.
Police claim Dhody was shot 10 times in the head by a 0.22 calibre weapon. Police believe Melissa was unhappy with the relationship with Dhody and was in a simultaneous "intimate relationship" with 32-year-old Adam James Gooley.
Justice Jean Dalton said there was a strong case against Gooley and the evidence against Melissa was circumstantial, but rejected her bail on the basis that she could flee the country as she was potentially facing life in prison, Australian Associated Press (AAP) news agency reported.
Investigations revealed that Melissa had previously asked Gooley to kill Dhody. Gooley allegedly bashed Dhody with a crowbar in March and told him "I will finish the job, I'm going to kill you".
Police suspect that after becoming aware of the assaults on his girlfriend, Gooley bought the crowbar and bashed Dhody outside the Molendinar house that he shared with Melissa.
Police also suspect Gooley borrowed a bolt-action rifle with which Melissa shot Dhody on July 5 as he lay sleeping after a business trip.
Dhody was declared bankrupt two years ago, and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission began proceedings this year to have his company, Roadside Group International, struck off.
Opposing the bail, Prosecutor Jane Shawsaid the accused had tried to hide the fact that she worked in the sex industry and that was how she had met Dhody.
Shaw said after Dhody's bankruptcy, he had put assets into Melissa's name, who had returned to the sex industry against Dhody's wishes to make money. No domestic violence was ever reported by Melissa.
Barrister Jeff Hunter said there was no evidence his client, Melissa, was at home when Dhody was shot. He said Gooley had made it clear he held a "strong antipathy" for Dhody and there was "no evidence" Melissa was "in on the plan". "There is simply no evidence of pre-concept between my client and Gooley," Hunter said.
Justice Dalton said on the material before her, it was clear there was a "fairly strong" case against Gooley and a circumstantial one against Mellisa.
She said it was "not a circumstantial case of somebody reacting in the heat-of-the-moment to intolerable domestic violence". Instead, it was a circumstantial case which spoke of "planning over a period of time", she said.
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