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Man charged over murder of Curtis Cheng refuses to stand in court

Raban Alou has refused to stand to be indicted during a sentence hearing at a Sydney court related to the murder of police accountant Curtis Cheng.

Curtis Cheng
A woman holds an order of service for Curtis Cheng after his funeral service at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Source: AAP

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A NSW man charged in relation to the shooting murder of police accountant Curtis Cheng told corrective services staff and firefighters he would "put a bullet" in every single one of them, a court has heard.

Raban Alou is facing a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a terrorist act by Farhad Jabar Khalil Mohammad, who fatally shot Mr Cheng outside NSW Police Headquarters in Parramatta in 2015.

Redacted crown documents previously alleged that Alou supplied 15-year-old Mohammad with a gun at a nearby mosque before the killing on October 2.

Crown prosecutor Paul McGuire SC on Monday told the NSW Supreme Court that Alou was lacking remorse, had extremist views and poor prospects of rehabilitation.

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He said the 20-year-old allegedly threatened corrective services officers and firefighters when there was a blaze in his section at Goulburn prison, and made a hand gesture associated with Islamic State.

"I'll get every single one of you on the outside, I'll put a bullet in every single one of you," Alou said, according to the prosecutor.

Alou was also recorded during a Christmas Eve phone call with family members indicating he had no regrets and wasn't going to apologise, Mr McGuire alleged.

The 20-year-old was told by Justice Peter Johnson at the beginning of his hearing that there could be repercussions for refusing to stand during his indictment.

The judge said Alou's refusal to stand in court was inconsistent with the position of the Australian National Imams Council, and he could see no religious basis for it.

The hearing, which on Monday was attended by members of Mr Cheng's family, is scheduled to continue for four days.

Three other males have been charged in relation to the killing of Mr Cheng, who died instantly after being shot in the back of the head as he left work.

The Crown previously alleged that Mohammad then strode back and forth while yelling "Allahu Akhbar" before being shot dead by detectives.


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