A man accused of the shooting murders of four people in Darwin in 2019 has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

September 21, 2021

A man on trial for the shooting murders of four people in Darwin has pleaded not guilty and a jury has been selected.

Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, 47, is accused of murdering Hassan Baydoun, 33, Nigel Hellings, 75, Michael Sisois, 57, and Rob Courtney, 52, during a series of shootings on June 4, 2019.

He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in the Northern Territory Supreme Court to four counts of murder and 10 other serious offences.

The other charges include making a threat to kill a woman while armed with a shotgun on the same day at a home in Humpty Doo on the city’s outskirts.

Hoffmann is also accused of recklessly endangering another woman’s life with a Toyota Hilux in the same rural community.

His jury trial before Justice John Burns is scheduled for nine weeks but could run for three months.

It’s expected to hear from about 150 witnesses.

Hoffmann is represented by high-profile Darwin barrister Jon Tippet QC as well as solicitor Peter Maley.

Former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb SC took over the prosecution of the case after NT deputy DPP Matthew Nathan resigned in June.

Mr Babb will appear alongside local prosecutor Tami Grealy.

Jury empanelment was expected to take a full day due to the close links between Darwin’s small population and the need for the 15 jurors to be independent.

But it was completed within about two hours, with the prosecutor and defence opening remarks likely to be heard after the lunch break.

The trial was delayed in March when Mr Tippett applied to the court for a three-month adjournment.