A Melbourne man accused of shooting down two Victoria Police officers has testified at his murder trial and told the jury he had nothing to do with the killings more than two decades ago.
Key points:
- Jason Roberts told a court he was not involved in the 1998 murder of two police officers
- Roberts claimed that the father of his ex-girlfriend, Bandali Debs, committed the murders only
- The 41-year-old man admitted to lying to police during the investigation
Jason Roberts, 41, has appeared in the Victorian Supreme Court, where he has been fighting charges that he was involved in the deadly shootings of Sergeant Gary Silk and senior police officer Rodney Miller in Moorabbin in 1998.
He was convicted of murder along with Bandali Debs in 2002, but successfully appealed.
The jury has been informed that it is facing a new trial of the murder charges.
Defendant denies being present for the murders of Silk and Miller
Last month, the Supreme Court heard evidence from Debs that Mr Roberts, who was dating his daughter, was armed and present the night the two officers were shot dead.
Debs said he heard gunshots from Mr. Roberts’ direction.
But on Friday, Mr. Roberts said he was innocent.
“Did you shoot Sergeant Gary Silk?” asked his defense attorney, David Hallowes SC.
“I certainly didn’t,” Roberts said.
“Did you shoot senior police officer Rodney Miller?” asked Mr. Hallowes.
“I certainly didn’t,” Roberts said.
Roberts told the jury that on the night of the August 1998 murder, he went out to dinner with his girlfriend, Nicole Debs, at The Bear House restaurant in Cranbourne before returning home.
He stated that this was when his father, Bandali Debs, tried to tempt him to go and look for restaurants to steal.
Roberts, who was only 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to involvement in armed robberies on other occasions.
But he told the jury he pushed Debs back that night.
“Did you go out with Bandali Debs that night?” asked Mr. Hallowes.
“No, I didn’t,” Mr. Roberts said.
“Why didn’t you want to go out?” asked Mr. Hallowes.
“I had a couple of drinks with dinner and I was 18th, the following week,” Roberts said.
Defendant told the jury that he wanted to go ahead with the plans for the celebration with his girlfriend.
“There was a reserved limousine,” he said.
The accused blames the former partner for the two shootings
Roberts testified that he later saw Debs sitting in the living room early the next morning.
The court learned that Debs was listening to a police scanner and that there was a gun on the coffee table.
“He said if I hear anything, I hear any noise, keep the girls up, which seemed weird to me and [I] I just got up and went back to bed, “Roberts said.
Roberts said Debs later showed him the car that was allegedly used during the killings.
He said Debs told him police had arrested him near the Silky Emperor restaurant on Cochranes Road and asked him to open the trunk.
“As the boot opened … he shot Rodney Miller,” Roberts recalled in the witness stand.
“He said he was standing next to her and shot her in the chest.
“Then he went to Silk who was in the window and shot him twice.”
Roberts said Debs called him a “shooter” and then started with senior agent Miller, who fled.
Police officers Rodney Miller and Gary Silk were found shot dead near the Silky Emperor restaurant in 1998. (ABC News)
He told the jury that Debs followed up before he changed his mind and returned to the scene of the shooting.
“He said he shot Gary Silk … he left and he left,” Roberts said.
The Supreme Court learned that Debs, who was also known as Ben, later “cut” the weapons before undoing them.
Roberts admitted he lied when he was interviewed by police.
“Ben had told me what he had done … he didn’t want to sit there and say that this is what happened, that he had done it,” he said.
“I also wanted to distance myself from that because I had committed armed robberies with him.”
In cross-examination, prosecutor Ben Ihle QC questioned the credibility of the defendant.
“You were telling so many lies to so many people, it’s hard to keep track, right?” said Mr. Ihle.
“I was lying, yes, I said it over and over,” Roberts said.
The trial continues.