POLICE thought it was a guaranteed way to hurt an alleged drug dealer - seize his golden Jaguar.
But the idea quickly turned into a lemon when police learnt the luxury car was valued at just $800 and was costing them thousands in storage fees.
Instead of dropping their push against the alleged dealer, police rejected a $1000 offer for the release of the vehicle, along with a $2000 1996 Toyota sports car.
An 18-month legal battle ensued, at a cost to taxpayers of more than $20,000
NSW Police seized the 1988 Jaguar and the Toyota Supra after a drug bust in August 2010. Charges related to the case are still before the courts. Police put the cars in an official storage facility at Lidcombe that cost $2000.
But the owner wanted to use the Jaguar to teach his 16-year-old daughter to drive, and went to court to challenge the freeze on his asset. Last July, Downing Centre Local Court heard the car owner's barrister Greg Jones and magistrate Lee Gilmour offer an out for police. But the police refused and demanded the owner pay the $2000 storage bill.
Court documents show Mr Jones offered to split the costs and end the matter. Ms Gilmour made the same offer. ''You want to get rid of them,'' she said of the vehicles. ''They want them back.''
She then warned police: ''I'm trying to save costs for everybody. Somewhere down the track somebody might have to pay a whole lot of costs that they may not want to. So stopping that now, if ultimately the prosecution forgo $2000 now, it might save them $20,000 in a few months' time.''
But police refused to heed her advice. ''We don't want to pay a cent,'' prosecutor Sergeant Allan Treadwell said, seeking full payment. The case was adjourned until August 25 last year, when Sergeant Treadwell again refused the defence's offer to split the bill.
''I don't think there is any question of whether or not we want the vehicles any more,'' he said. ''We do not. In fact, we consider them to be quite a headache.''
The following day Ms Gilmour dismissed the freezing order and told police to return both vehicles. She ordered police to pay the storage bill.
Given the court time, the bill for the barrister and his staff, which remains confidential, the cost to the taxpayer for the Jaguar is estimated at between $12,000 and $15,000.
But the matter did not end there. Police appealed against the decision to return the Toyota.
After reviewing the police case the Crown solicitor, Ian Fraser, declined to pursue the appeal.
Late last month, NSW Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Fullerton ordered police to return the Toyota and to pay further legal costs of $7235.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/taxpayer-stun ... z1okawk8aA
Not the golden calf
Not the golden calf
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Not the golden calf
Well, that Fraser character certainly needs to get the chop...But the matter did not end there. Police appealed against the decision to return the Toyota.
After reviewing the police case the Crown solicitor, Ian Fraser, declined to pursue the appeal.
Exhibiting commonsense? How'd he sneak in? I thought there were supposed to be safeguards in place against that sort of thing...
Well, okay, I guess no system's perfect....
