The sniper who killed former Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin at Perth Motorplex in 2020 can now be publicly named after overturning a suppression order on his identity. Benjamin Luke Johnston, a former soldier, was hired by rival bikie David Pye and jailed for 20 years for the public assassination.
Johnston's lawyer, David Manera, argued that his client's safety would not be threatened by having his name published. The suppression order had caused problems for Johnston in prison, including scheduling visits and receiving mail, and prevented him from enrolling in a health and science degree under his real name.
Johnston testified against Pye, who paid him $100,000 to kill Martin. Pye was found guilty of ordering the hit and is due to be sentenced later this year. Johnston told the court he was an experienced assassin who had worked in security for foreign-based charities in Iraq and Syria, claiming he had carried out so many executions he had lost count.
Johnston served with the Army Reserves from 2004 to 2012 and worked as an electrical engineer on oil rigs. He used his time off to volunteer with charities, including Shadows of Hope, which describes itself as 'the world's most fearless charity'. He also had a large social media presence, with YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages featuring videos of wingsuit BASE-jumping.
Pye's lawyer argued that making Johnston's name public could affect his ability to give evidence in a possible future trial and influence potential jurors. However, Judge Joe McGrath rejected these arguments, stating that Johnston's name being known would not affect his ability to give evidence.
