A former soldier who killed Rebels bikie Nick Martin in a brazen public shooting in 2020 admitted in court he felt he had “done a community service” in taking out the underworld heavyweight.
The man, whose identity has been suppressed since his arrest the following year, is giving evidence for a second day in the trial of former Comanchero, now Mongols bikie David Pye, who is accused of hiring him to kill Martin.
Slain Rebels boss Nick Martin.
Pye denies he paid the 39-year-old $150,000 to murder Martin, and is also fighting allegations he asked the man to murder an ex-girlfriend and exiled Comanchero Ray Cilli.
On Friday, the shooter – who has already been sentenced over the killing – continued to be cross-examined by Pye’s barrister David Hallowes, SC, who alleged the man only “put David Pye in” to get a discounted sentence.
Hallowes also told the court the shooter was trying to “get the best story out there”, having joked with friends about a multimillion-dollar book deal.
The man admitted he initially lied about pulling the trigger, but then was keen to hear about others who had received reduced sentences, at one point claiming that if he didn’t confess soon he would “miss the snitching bus”.
A court sketch of bikie David Pye, who is accused of paying a former soldier to shoot Martin.Credit: Anne Barnetson
Hallowes put it to the soldier-turned-assassin that he was “proud” of murdering Martin.
“Did you say you had done a community service by taking him out?” Hallowes asked him.