By Catherine Naylor and Sarah Keoghan
A 21-year-old man has been charged after police allegedly found a photograph of him posing alongside a toddler holding a gun, in what a senior officer labelled one of the worst things he has seen in his career.
Police said the photo was found on a mobile phone during raids of several homes across south-west Sydney on July 12 while investigating the fatal shooting of 24-year-old bikie associate Marvin Oraiha.
The man was arrested in Yagoona after police allegedly found photographs of him with a toddler holding a gun.Credit: NSW Police
Oraiha was shot dead in his car outside his home in Elizabeth Hills in May. A 22-year-old man has since been charged with his murder.
NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Jason Weinstein said the photo showed the 21-year-old man posing with two pistols alongside a toddler – about three years old – who was holding a Glock-style pistol.
Police will allege the photos were taken on May 21, the day before the shooting of Oraiha.
“Quite frankly, the images that were on this individual’s phone are appalling and very disturbing and probably some of the worst things I’ve seen in a long period of time in my policing history,” Weinstein said after the man’s arrest on Tuesday.
“Probably some of the worst things I’ve seen in a long period of time”: Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Weinstein.
“I don’t think it gets any more serious than that. This is the type of behaviour, the type of individuals that we are up against in respect to criminality and the sheer cavalier attitude they have.”
The man was arrested at a home Yagoona and taken to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with 13 firearm-related offences.
Weinstein said the arrest was made as part of Taskforce Magnus, a 100-officer unit created last week to combat Sydney’s recent spate of public shootings.
The establishment of the taskforce was announced on Thursday following the death of Ferenc David Stemler, who was shot dead outside his Canterbury home about 2am.
The 28-year-old was talking to two people before being gunned down, police said.
“It’s that disregard for life for the community and otherwise which is what Magnus is here to stamp out, and we will achieve that objective,” Weinstein, who is the commander of the taskforce, said.
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