Two Irishmen charged over attempted murder in Australia

Arrests following two-day manhunt come after real estate agent was shot in the face in Melbourne

Mark Dixon (L) and Jack Harvey appeared in court in New South Wales
Mark Dixon (L) and Jack Harvey appeared in court in New South Wales

Two Irishmen have been charged with attempted murder over the shooting of a real estate agent in Melbourne, Australia.

Mark Dixon (30) and Jack Harvey (26) appeared before Byron Bay local court in New South Wales on Thursday when police successfully applied for permission to extradite the pair to Melbourne, Victoria.

Mr Dixon and Mr Harvey did not apply for bail, and it was formally refused.

The Irishmen are due before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday.

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Police issued warrants for their arrest after Sid Morgan (53), a former detective, was shot in the face outside a house in west Melbourne last week. He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and is in a critical condition.

Detectives arrested Mr Dixon and Mr Harvey on Wednesday at Broken Head in New South Wales after a two-day manhunt.

Real estate agent agent Sid Morgan (53) was shot in the face
Real estate agent agent Sid Morgan (53) was shot in the face

Police had issued a Crimestoppers appeal for information on the men after believing they had fled from Melbourne to Byron Bay.

Photographs and descriptions of both men were issued, and people were urged not to approach them but to call police if they were spotted.

Mr Morgan, a former police detective, made the news in 1997 when he killed his brother-in-law who had been charged with molesting three girls.

Mr Morgan went on trial for murder but was acquitted. However, he was not allowed to rejoin the police despite being acquitted of murder.

He reinvented himself as a real estate agent and told the Sydney Morning Herald he had “worked hard to built a new life”.