Gang murder moves closer to trial after High Court appeal

Mr. Acquaro, a lawyer who had represented several prominent underworld figures, was gunned down outside his East Brunswick ice cream shop in 2016.

Crupi was charged with the crime in 2018, but has been out on bail since March 2021 due to several trial delays.

In 2018, a Victorian Supreme Court judge dismissed a police application to withhold 600 pages of documents from the defence.

The police commissioner argued that he could identify a police informant, known as Informer Z, but the judge said the documents could significantly assist Crupi’s defence.

The commissioner appealed to the High Court and three judges on Wednesday overturned the Supreme Court judge’s decision.

The High Court found that the judge had failed to demonstrate his reasoning in balancing the public interests of fair access to information against the potential threat to an informant.

“It is undisputed that, if the trial judge’s orders are implemented, it is very likely that informant Z will be identified, which will result in a serious risk to his safety,” Justices Stephen Gageler, James Edelman and Robert Beech-Jones wrote in their decision.

The matter will be referred to the Supreme Court of Victoria for decision.