Canberra drug dealer alleges he was shot three times due to rumors he was a ‘kiddie fiddler’

A Canberra drug dealer who was shot in the face during a home invasion last year says he was targeted by people who thought he was a paedophile.

The ACT Supreme Court has heard the man had been accused of being a “kiddie fiddler” before being shot three times at a home in Spence in Canberra’s north on March 11, 2021.

The man said he had been at a friend’s house in the early hours of the morning after “catching up with people for drug deals.”

He said Sugimatatihuna Bernard Gabriel Mena, 24, Bradley Joe Roberts, 24, and Rebecca Dulcie Parlov, 25, had then all stormed his friend’s home to “whack” him.

Mr Mena has been charged with attempted murder while Mr Roberts and Ms Parlov were each charged with aggravated burglary.

They have all pleaded not guilty.

The man told the court he had armed himself with a knife for protection and had been prepared to “knuckle on” with the trio when they appeared at the home.

“I was going to stab them,” he said, before adding that he at no point used or attempted to use the knife on any of the three.

He alleged it was Mr Mena who had pulled the trigger, shooting him three times and injuring his face, stomach and arm.

He also told the court Mr Mena, Mr Roberts, and Ms Parlov were all known to him through his drug deals.

Once wounded, the man said he had retreated to the bathroom to call a friend to drive him to Calvary Hospital’s emergency department.

The friend he had called was Ms Parlov’s brother.

Defense says finger was wrongly pointed

During cross examination, defense barristers showed the court text message conversations between the victim and his partner at the time.

The messages showed the man had asked the woman for $750, telling her he had to pay off bikes otherwise they would harm him.

The defense put to the man that the reason he presented to the hospital instead of calling police when he was shot was that he was “frightened of the bikies.”

“No, I don’t like police,” the man replied.

He then confessed that the messages he had sent to his ex-partner had been lies.

“I made up whatever I wanted to get the money out of her because I’m a fiend,” he said.

The defense also put to the victim that he had falsely accused Mr Mena of being the gunman as it was easier than having to point the finger elsewhere.

But the man said: “No, I saw him do it … I saw him come through the door”, referring to Mr Mena.

The trial is set to run for seven days.