Ben Hoffmann told an acquaintance he was concerned for his safety before he allegedly murdered four people during a shooting spree across Darwin.

October 7, 2021

A man accused of murdering four people during an armed rampage across Darwin believed bikies were out to get him before the killings.

Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder in less than an hour at four locations in the afternoon of June 4, 2019.

In the days before the shooting spree, the 47-year-old had a coffee with acquaintance Helen Makrylos and shared his fears.

“He was concerned about his girlfriend and he was concerned about his safety,” she told the Northern Territory Supreme Court on Wednesday.

“He was talking about how he wasn’t protected by anybody.”

Hoffmann told Ms Makrylos that some men had beaten him in jail and he was afraid they would come after him when they were released.

“They had just been released as well,” she said.

Ms Makrylos said she also spoke to Hoffmann in the hours before the killings when he dropped by her workplace.

“He was just really edgy. Not his normal self,” she said.

Hoffmann told Ms Makrylos that he believed his drink had been spiked by one of the men shot dead later in the day, Michael Sisois, 57.

“I said to him ‘How has your drink been spiked when you’re not allowed to drink? You’re on probation,” she said.

Ms Makrylos also said Mr Sisois would not have spiked his drink.

The Crown says Hoffmann’s first victim, Hassan Baydoun, 33, died about 5.38pm on June 4 at a motel the same day.

Hoffman then allegedly shot Nigel Hellings, 75, at an apartment block and Mr Sisois in a car park.

Rob Courtney, 52, was stabbed more than 30 times and shot dead at an industrial yard.

Prosecutor Lloyd Babb SC has said Hoffmann was searching for a woman he believed was his girlfriend, Kelly Collins, and a man named Alex Deligiannis at the time.

Hoffmann and Ms Collins met at drug rehab, where they enjoyed each other’s company.

After they left the program, the pair made plans to move in together and Ms Collins selected furniture.

But two weeks before the shootings, Ms Collins sent Hoffmann a text message saying she was in love with another man.

“Hoffy, I love Alex,” she wrote on May 20.

Hoffmann initially responded with a series of humorous texts but in the days after, his demeanour changed and he repeatedly told workmates he was going to “blow (Alex’s) head off”.

The night before the shootings, Hoffman and Ms Collins were together again, along with Mr Sisois.

She told the court Hoffman smoked “quite a bit, as in three pipes” of crystal methamphetamine in about an hour then left.

Earlier, parole officer David Evans confirmed that he told police Hoffmann was worried about his safety after he was bashed by bikies in prison.

The trial continues on Thursday.