‘Gutless’ Love Machine Killers face court

You can still hear the blood-curdling screams of Richard Arrow’s girlfriend when she was shot dead minutes after arriving at the Love Machine Club in Melbourne.

“What started as the most beautiful day and night quickly became the most tragic, horrifying and life-changing event,” Rebekah Spinks told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

On April 14, 2019, Arow and Spinks were standing with friends outside the Prang nightclub when a car drove by and fired four shots.

She watched in horror as her 28-year-old partner, security guard Aaron Osmani, 37, was shot in the head just after 3 a.m. and fell to the ground.

Both men died from their injuries. Security guard Semisi Tuituf was shot in the shoulder and another bullet passed through club regular Lukasz Ahmed and hit Ali Shohani, where they were lining up.

“I didn’t see a car coming. I heard gunshots and saw Richard fall to the ground like a ragdoll,” Spinks said through tears.

“People in the street came running and I ran over to Richard. Sometimes I have to hear the screams that make my blood freeze in my lungs.”

More than three years later, Spinks still can’t walk through a busy street full of cars for fear someone will shoot at him.

“They shot a crowd of defenseless people without even having time to defend themselves. It was completely lethargic,” she said.

Jacob Elliott fired four shots from a car driven by Alan Fares at a club near the corner of Little Chapel Street and Malvern Road.

They went clubbing after Elliot’s half-brother, Ali Magny, was kicked out for misbehaving. Mr. Maghnie spoke with his father, his Nabil Maghnie, and with his brother after the incident.

Elliott and Fares passed the nightclub four times before the shooting.

The pair were convicted of two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder by a Supreme Court jury in April.

A third man, Moussa Hamka, was found guilty of one count of aiding a man after he deliberately hid the gun that was used to fire the shot.

All three faced pre-sentence hearings on Wednesday, where prosecutors asked the court to impose lengthy prison terms for shooting innocent bystanders.

Justin Burke QC said in court: “It was a very violent act committed against a defenseless victim, and there was absolutely no reason to suspect that it was in danger or endangered.

“Victims were chosen to send a message that any disrespect, such as being expelled from a nightclub for intoxication, will not be tolerated.”

Five victims gave statements to the court about the effects of the shooting, including one who said Tuituf wanted to intervene and save the lives of Osmani and Alou.

“To this day, I never feel like I’ve done enough,” he said.

The hearing continues before Judge Andrew Tinney.