A MOLE from bikie gang the
Bandidos has demanded money and his name cleared if
police want him to rat out his friends to solve a
Corio man's 10-year-old murder case.
A
coroner yesterday said a "fear of reprisals" against
anyone who co-operated with police was hindering
investigations into the death of Earl Mooring.
A
finding into the grandfather's grisly death
yesterday revealed the 54-year-old was lured to a
Whittington house where he was assaulted, then he
was bashed and tortured at a second home.
His
body was thrown into his car boot and driven to New
South Wales, where he was dumped down an embankment.
The
investigation remains open and a $500,0000 reward,
one of the biggest in the state, remains for anyone
leading police to Mr Mooring's killer.
Victorian State Coroner Jennifer Coate told the
hearing former Bandido bikie Steve Utah, who has
publicly confessed to disposing of the body, had a
"list of requirements" that needed to be met if he
was to testify.
She said they included funds for
legal representation, he be granted indemnity from
giving evidence, compensation, withdrawal of
outstanding police charges in Queensland, his
testimony remain secret and "anything else I was
promised in 2004".
Ms
Coate said she did not have the power to ensure his
demands were met.
Mr
Utah, who is now in hiding, was charged with Mr
Mooring's murder in 2004 but the charges were later
dropped after the Office of Public Prosecutions said
there was not enough evidence.
Mr
Mooring was last seen leaving a friend's Norlane
home in October 2000 before being lured to the
Whittington home of his girlfriend, who cannot be
named, where a group of males was waiting for him.
Ms
Coate said the girlfriend and Mr Utah were aware Mr
Mooring had up to $120,000 stashed at his home.
"Investigating police also suspect that people were
laying in wait for Mr Mooring to arrive at (the
girlfriend's) home so they could pressure Mr Mooring
into revealing the location of his alleged cash
savings believed to be hidden in his home," she
said.
"Mr
Mooring was assaulted ... and then conveyed to a
second location were he was tortured, to reveal the
location of his alleged savings, and subsequently
killed."
In
2004, Mr Utah led police to Towrang where Mr
Mooring's skeletal remains were found.
Ms
Coate said, despite the best effort of police, they
had not been able to secure a conviction leading to
more suffering for Mr Mooring's family.
"These
proceedings must feel like an inadequate end to the
years of waiting for answers," she said.
"I
extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Mr
Mooring for their loss in such awful circumstances."
Mr
Mooring's girlfriend was given a three-year
suspended jail sentence in the Supreme Court for
conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.