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.
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