Pubdate: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 Source: Age, The (Australia) Copyright: 2006 The Age Company Ltd Contact: http://www.theage.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5 Author: Jamie Berry CONSTABLE ACCUSED OF CANNABIS BRIBES TWO officers were equipped with their guns, handcuffs and capsicum spray when they stole cannabis crops with a street value of $75,000, a court heard yesterday. One of the officers, a constable, then blackmailed the owner of the crops to pay him or face criminal charges, the County Court was told. Prosecutor Michael Hennessy said the constable received $8000 from the owner of the crops in February. The allegations were heard yesterday at the plea hearing for a police informer who had told the constable about the location of the crops. The constable, who will contest the allegations in court later this year, was also accused of threatening a man whom he believed had stolen the crops. He told the man he would kill his family unless he received $35,000, the court heard. The informer pleaded guilty to six charges yesterday, including trafficking and possessing a drug of dependence, handling stolen goods and assaulting a man while pretending to be a police officer. Mr Hennessy said the crops had a street value of between $46,385 and $74,536, with the proceeds to be split between the informer and the two officers. Danny Holding, for the informer, said his client had "divorced himself" from a life of crime and an addiction to drugs and had helped internal police investigators. "He was a person who was following the instructions of (the constable) and being told what to do," Mr Holding said. "It was not a relationship of complete trust." Mr Holding said the constable had befriended the informer, telling him on one occasion: "If you f--k with me, I'll shoot you." He said it was in the public interest that police officers found to be corrupt were brought to justice. "He's playing a significant role in that," Mr Holding said. An ethical standards detective said the informer had been "very co-operative", having worn a listening device to secretly record two conversations with the constable. He had made statements and an undertaking to give evidence. Detective acting Senior Sergeant Neil Smyth told the court the informer's safety was of "grave concern" to police. He said the constable, who is in custody, knew where the informer lived. The constable is awaiting a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court. He is charged with 13 offences, including burglary, blackmail, and the theft, cultivation and trafficking of cannabis plants. Judge David Morrow extended the informer's bail until sentencing at a later date. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine