Glen McNamara says co-accused Roger Rogerson concocted defence

Roger Rogerson urged fellow murder-accused Glen McNamara to pretend he had shot Jamie Gao dead in self-defence during a desperate car-jacking, McNamara has told their trial.

Giving evidence at their long-running NSW Supreme Court trial on Tuesday, McNamara relayed a series of conversations he says he had with Rogerson when the two men were behind bars in Sydney's Silverwater remand centre in late 2014.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Gao in a suburban storage unit in May that year.

"I've seen plenty of people shot at, I've shot a few myself. I've seen plenty of gunshot victims, I'm an expert," McNamara claims Rogerson told him after the pair were arrested.

"If we stick together we'll be fine."

McNamara said he believed this comment to be a reference to Rogerson's time in the police force, and that Rogerson was referring to discharging a firearm in the course of his duties.

He claims Rogerson concocted an elaborate defence for the two men, and even supplied him with a handwritten opening for their forthcoming trial.

McNamara's barrister on Tuesday produced the document McNamara says was given to him by Rogerson in early 2015 - a page of handwritten notes addressed to the "ladies and gentlemen of the jury".

According to McNamara, Rogerson's proposed version of events was that Mr Gao had "ripped off the Triads, he was a desperate man, he was going to try car-jacking you".

McNamara says he wanted Rogerson to think he was going along with the plan, but was really conducting "a covert investigation" from behind bars to uncover the truth.

"I wanted to convey to Mr Rogerson that I would agree to this defence so that I could collect evidence of the true nature of the offence from Mr Rogerson," McNamara said.

McNamara has previously told the jury that it was Rogerson who shot Mr Gao, and that he only agreed to help dispose of the body because Rogerson made threats against his daughters.

Rogerson is yet to give evidence but is expected to take his turn in the witness box in the coming weeks.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/04/19/15/20/mcnamara-says-rogerson-concocted-defence#CyLDPEd5EsUP6XKu.99

Roger Rogerson wanted co-accused Glen McNamara to agree to same defence, court hears

By court reporter Karl Hoerr

Glen McNamara gave his murder co-accused Roger Rogerson the impression they would adopt the same defence over the death of student Jamie Gao, a Sydney court has heard.

On his fourth day in the witness box at his trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court, McNamara relayed a series of conversations he said he had with Rogerson in prison after they were charged.

Rogerson and McNamara are accused of murdering Mr Gao, who was shot twice inside a Padstow storage unit on May 20, 2014.

They also allegedly took almost three kilograms of the drug ice that Mr Gao had in his possession.

McNamara said Rogerson wanted them both to say Mr Gao had "ripped off the triads", was desperate and McNamara had shot him in self-defence after he was car-jacked.

"I wanted to convey to Mr Rogerson that I would agree to this defence so that I could collect evidence of the true nature of the offence by Mr Rogerson," McNamara said.

His barrister Gabriel Wendler produced a handwritten note Rogerson allegedly gave to McNamara last year, headed "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury", outlining what their defence should be.

"You have heard the learned crown prosecutor explain to you the crown plans to produce to you evidence of a strong circumstantial case," the note read.

"Well ladies and gentlemen let me tell you the crown will not be able to prove this at all."

McNamara told the court: "Rogerson said, 'This opening address ... has to be the way we run the whole case'."

He said he told Rogerson, "I think I'm willing to go along with you but I've got some concerns."

McNamara said he wanted to know everything about the gun that was used in the shooting, including what happened to it.

He said Rogerson told him he sourced the weapon from a man called Tony Butler and returned the weapon to Mr Butler's workplace three days after the shooting.

The former police officer was asked about his career in the police force and said it included working on the Milperra massacre investigation, a secondment to the National Crime Authority, as well as stints as a detective in Sydney's south as well as Darlinghurst and Kings Cross.

He said he left the police force after working on an undercover, internal investigation.

"My work was leaked and there were threats to kill me," McNamara said.

McNamara is expected to be questioned by George Thomas, the barrister for Rogerson, when the trial resumes.

Roger Rogerson said Jamie Gao was 'going out to sea and never coming back', court hears

Former policemen Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara made an agreement to go "fishing" early on a morning in May 2014.

They are captured on security footage holding fishing rods inside a southern Sydney unit block about 7.30am on May 21.

"He said, 'I'll see you bright and early in the morning and we'll go fishing, be ready,' " Mr McNamara told the court on Monday.

The following morning, the pair had a quick conversation on McDonald Street, Cronulla, outside Mr McNamara's unit block.

"Rogerson said, 'Let's go up to Grays Point. It's nice and quiet up there and we can drop him [Mr Gao].'

"[He] said, 'He's going out to sea, he's never f---ing coming back.' "

The court has heard Mr Gao, 20, was shot and killed inside a storage shed in southern Sydney on May 20, 2014.

Mr McNamara and Mr Rogerson are charged with the murder of Mr Gao and accused of stealing the 2.78 kilograms of the drug ice he had brought to sell them.

The pair are pinning the murder on each other.

After Mr Gao was shot, his body was wrapped in a blue tarpaulin and stuffed inside a silver surfboard bag.

The court has heard that, later, Mr Rogerson and Mr McNamara hoisted the body into a boat in the car park of the unit block.

The body was left in the car park overnight until the pair took the boat out.

The next morning, when the pair had travelled for about 40 minutes out to sea, they stopped.

"Rogerson said, 'Give me a hand to push him in,' " Mr McNamara said.

He testified that, after he helped push Mr Gao's body into the sea, Mr Rogerson made a remark.

"I heard Rogerson say, "Oh f---, I should have cut his guts open … Oh well f--- it, he's gone, let's go.' "

On the way back to the shore, Mr McNamara said his co-accused told him to stop the boat.

Mr McNamara said Mr Rogerson was holding a gun, and he fired twice.

He claims Mr Rogerson threatened to harm his family if Mr McNamara said anything to the police.

"[He said], 'Remember, I'll know before [the police] know, just think of your family.' "

The trial before Justice Geoffrey Bellew continues.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/roger-rogerson-said-jamie-gao-was-going-out-to-sea-and-never-coming-back-court-hears-20160418-go8rbg.html#ixzz469yjscWe 

Roger Rogerson said Jamie Gao was 'going out to sea and never coming back', court hears

Former policemen Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara made an agreement to go "fishing" early on a morning in May 2014.

They are captured on security footage holding fishing rods inside a southern Sydney unit block about 7.30am on May 21.

"He said, 'I'll see you bright and early in the morning and we'll go fishing, be ready,' " Mr McNamara told the court on Monday.

The following morning, the pair had a quick conversation on McDonald Street, Cronulla, outside Mr McNamara's unit block.

"Rogerson said, 'Let's go up to Grays Point. It's nice and quiet up there and we can drop him [Mr Gao].'

"[He] said, 'He's going out to sea, he's never f---ing coming back.' "

The court has heard Mr Gao, 20, was shot and killed inside a storage shed in southern Sydney on May 20, 2014.

Mr McNamara and Mr Rogerson are charged with the murder of Mr Gao and accused of stealing the 2.78 kilograms of the drug ice he had brought to sell them.

The pair are pinning the murder on each other.

After Mr Gao was shot, his body was wrapped in a blue tarpaulin and stuffed inside a silver surfboard bag.

The court has heard that, later, Mr Rogerson and Mr McNamara hoisted the body into a boat in the car park of the unit block.

The body was left in the car park overnight until the pair took the boat out.

The next morning, when the pair had travelled for about 40 minutes out to sea, they stopped.

"Rogerson said, 'Give me a hand to push him in,' " Mr McNamara said.

He testified that, after he helped push Mr Gao's body into the sea, Mr Rogerson made a remark.

"I heard Rogerson say, "Oh f---, I should have cut his guts open … Oh well f--- it, he's gone, let's go.' "

On the way back to the shore, Mr McNamara said his co-accused told him to stop the boat.

Mr McNamara said Mr Rogerson was holding a gun, and he fired twice.

He claims Mr Rogerson threatened to harm his family if Mr McNamara said anything to the police.

"[He said], 'Remember, I'll know before [the police] know, just think of your family.' "

The trial before Justice Geoffrey Bellew continues.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/roger-rogerson-said-jamie-gao-was-going-out-to-sea-and-never-coming-back-court-hears-20160418-go8rbg.html#ixzz469yjscWe