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GAVIN Preston was a notorious criminal from Melbourne.
He was shot and killed in broad daylight mere months after being released from prison.
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Who was Gavin Preston?
Gavin Preston was a career criminal in Australia who had a long history of violent crimes.
His offences included armed robbery and the use of weapons, dating back to when he was 18 years old.
Gavin spent many years in prison for his various crimes and was released earlier this year after serving 11 years.
While in jail he was a victim of a stabbing that almost killed him.
Gavin was viewed as one of the most feared members of Melbourne’s underworld.
After Gavin was released from prison in April 2023, police went on high alert.
It was revealed in July that Sydney detectives were struggling to contain the escalating gang wars in the city.
A new task force was created specifically to end the violence on Sydney streets.
The task force has 100 investigators including 70 detectives and 30 plain-clothed officers.
While on trial, Gavin’s lawyer said the criminal dreamed of having a normal life.
The lawyer said that Gavin wanted to ‘become like one of the people on the tram, an ordinary person.’
What had Gavin Preston been sentenced for and how many years did he spend in prison?
Gavin was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the killing of Adam Khoury and the shooting of another drug dealer.
Gavin was suspected of plotting to kill former Bandidos enforcer Toby Mitchell and underworld figure Mick Gatto around the same time.
He had initially been charged with murder as he had shot Khoury in the head at close range.
Eventually, Gavin pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of defensive homicide.
While on trial, Gavin claimed that he had gone to Khoury’s home unarmed.
He then claimed that Khoury panicked and pulled out a weapon which Gavin wrestled off him and then shot him.
What happened in Keilor Village, Melbourne?
On Saturday, September 9, 2023, Gavin Preston was sitting outside a cafe in Keilor Village, Melbourne with his companion, Abbas Junior.
His companion fled seconds before the gunman opened fire after spotting him approach from the car park.
Gavin was shot multiple times and then slumped in his seat before falling to the ground.
CCTV shows that two men approached Gavin after the gunman ran away.
Victoria police confirmed that one man had been killed and another had been shot in the stomach.
Gavin’s friend and his fiance had to be held back by police after arriving at the scene.
His fiance could be heard screaming ‘he’s my husband,’ as she tried to get through police tape.
Two burnt-out cars were found after the shooting, one was found just 500m from the scene.
Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said the shooting was targeted.
He told reporters: “We believe it’s linked to organised crime and that will form part of our investigation going forward.”
