A Comanchero bikie jailed for crimes including attempted murder and arson has had his convictions quashed on appeal, and is set to face a retrial over an alleged assassination attempt. Axel Sidaros, 25, was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court earlier this year to 14 years behind bars with a non-parole period of eight years. The sentence was imposed after a trial that ended with a jury deciding he was one of four assailants who attacked former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic at the 38-year-old's home in Calwell in June 2018. The jury last year found Mr Sidaros guilty of seven offences including the attempted murder of Mr Zdravkovic, who lost part of a finger when he was shot in the incident. Three of Mr Zdravkovic's cars were also set alight by the masked offenders. Mr Sidaros is the only person to have been charged with carrying out the attack, and has continually maintained that he was not there. Earlier this year he challenged his convictions, hiring top silk Bret Walker SC to argue his case in the ACT Court of Appeal. On Wednesday afternoon, the appeal court handed down a majority ruling quashing Mr Sidaros' convictions and ordering a retrial. While Acting Justice Robert Crowe believed Mr Sidaros' appeal should be dismissed, Justice Michael Elkaim and Acting Justice David Robinson were of the view that it should be allowed. The basis for the majority ruling cannot be published for legal reasons. Mr Sidaros has been in custody since his arrest in August 2018. His solicitor, Michael Kukulies-Smith, told the court on Wednesday that Mr Sidaros would apply for bail at some point in the lead-up to the retrial. The case will be sent back to the Supreme Court for directions on Thursday morning.
CCTV of the June 2018 incident at the Calwell property of former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic.
A Comanchero bikie jailed for crimes including attempted murder and arson has had his convictions quashed on appeal, and is set to face a retrial over an alleged assassination attempt.
Axel Sidaros, 25, was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court earlier this year to 14 years behind bars with a non-parole period of eight years.
The sentence was imposed after a trial that ended with a jury deciding he was one of four assailants who attacked former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic at the 38-year-old's home in Calwell in June 2018.
Axel Sidaros outside court in 2019.
The jury last year found Mr Sidaros guilty of seven offences including the attempted murder of Mr Zdravkovic, who lost part of a finger when he was shot in the incident.
Three of Mr Zdravkovic's cars were also set alight by the masked offenders.
Mr Sidaros is the only person to have been charged with carrying out the attack, and has continually maintained that he was not there.
Former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic.
Earlier this year he challenged his convictions, hiring top silk Bret Walker SC to argue his case in the ACT Court of Appeal.
On Wednesday afternoon, the appeal court handed down a majority ruling quashing Mr Sidaros' convictions and ordering a retrial.
While Acting Justice Robert Crowe believed Mr Sidaros' appeal should be dismissed, Justice Michael Elkaim and Acting Justice David Robinson were of the view that it should be allowed.
The basis for the majority ruling cannot be published for legal reasons.
Mr Sidaros has been in custody since his arrest in August 2018.
His solicitor, Michael Kukulies-Smith, told the court on Wednesday that Mr Sidaros would apply for bail at some point in the lead-up to the retrial.
The case will be sent back to the Supreme Court for directions on Thursday morning.
