Source : Perth Now news
A former professional boxer still has a bullet lodged in his spine following an underworld assassination attempt and may never walk again, a court has been told.
Humzah Khalid, 26, was shot by gunmen during the brazen attack on Campbell Hill Rd in Chester Hill in Sydney’s west back in April.
He presented to hospital in a critical condition and underwent surgeries but was left wheelchair bound after the attack.
He was later arrested and charged in July over his alleged involvement in four separate underworld kidnappings.
Mr Khalid, also known by his former boxing name “The Raging Bull”, did not appear in court on Tuesday when his lawyer’s applied for Supreme Court bail.
His lawyer, David Carroll, applied for Mr Khalid to be bailed and admitted full time to a Sydney hospital to undergo rehabilitation.
Spinal physician Monica Ling told the court that Mr Khalid was still in “very early stages of recovery” and now was the “optimal window of time” for him to learn to walk again.
However, due to the travel time between the hospital and the prison, the ex-boxer was missing out on two rehabilitation sessions a week, the court was told.
“He’s missing out on this precious window of time to learn to walk and improve,” she said, noting all other inpatients in the spinal ward get treatment from Monday morning to Saturday.
However, Mr Khalid had four guards protecting him at all times when he was receiving treatment in hospital, the court was told.
Mr Carroll argued that the bail risks were “non-existent” given the horrific injury Mr Khalid had suffered, and that there could not be “any greater incentive” to comply so that he received adequate treatment.
Justice Richard Cavanagh said he was “puzzled” by the application, and given Mr Khalid’s extensive criminal history, and his alleged role as an orchestrator of criminal activity, he was concerned he may engage in further criminal history.
The bail application was denied.
Mr Khalid will front court next on Thursday, charged with 11 offences, including two counts of kidnapping in company, conspiracy to commit a kidnapping, knowingly directing a criminal group and affray.
