‘Disclosure issues’: Magistrate unhappy as Marlion Pickett’s court case stalls againRebecca Peppiatt
WA Today/Fairfax
March 2, 2024A magistrate has vented her frustration at the pace at which charges against AFL star Marlion Pickett are progressing through the WA court system, stating she would not allow the matter to stall any longer.
Pickett, who hails from WA but plays for Richmond Football Club in Victoria, was arrested in June last year in connection to a spate of thefts across WA from early December 2022 to January 2023.
But since his first appearance in court for a bail application that was granted allowing him to continue his sporting obligations, Pickett’s matters have been back before the court four times with no appearance from him and no progression of the issues.
On Friday his charges were adjourned by consent again, with magistrate Sarah Oliver saying she wanted the matters to progress on the next occasion.
“This has been at committal mention since October last year and the accused has not appeared once,” she said.
“This is the fourth consent adjournment. No further adjournments by consent.”
Police prosecutors in the matter told Oliver there was a hold up over mobile phone location data, as well as “disclosure issues”.
Pickett has yet to enter a plea to the charges. It is alleged that he and his brother-in-law, along with four other co-accused, targeted companies in Perth in the suburbs of Nollamara, Girrawheen and Beechboro, and the town of Beverley, between December 2022 and January 2023. Police allege money was taken from safes. On one occasion, $325,000 was allegedly taken from a currency exchange.
“It’s said that the money is subject to some alleged laundering by the accused and co-accused in various states in Australia,” a police prosecutor told the court during Pickett’s bail application last year.
During Pickett’s bail application, prosecutors said he was tied to the alleged crimes because his phone “pinged” near one of the burglary locations at the time the offence was being committed.
It’s also alleged a campervan that was used to transfer some money interstate was rented in his name, and that he purchased clothing worn by the offenders.
Pickett then allegedly received payments of $6000 and $9000 into his bank account.
But defence lawyer David Manera said the case against his client was weak.
“The campervan that was rented in Mr Pickett’s name was taken by co-offenders across Australia,” he said.
“It’s not that Mr Pickett has taken property across Australia in a campervan.
“And the phone tower ping in the area, your honour will be aware that type of evidence can often be unreliable.
“All it may show is that that phone may have been in that area, it doesn’t show that the offender may have been in that area.”
Police opposed bail, noting Pickett’s previous jail sentence in 2011. However, Manera said he had only committed one criminal offence since then, for which he was fined.
He also argued that Pickett was the sole provider for his family, which included his de facto partner and his three children, aged between six and 13.
One of Pickett’s alleged co-accused, Kurtley Thorne, pleaded guilty to the same charges Pickett is accused of late last year. He will be sentenced later this year.
Pickett’s will be back before the court on March 27 and will likely be forced to appear in person, during the AFL season.
https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/disclosure-issues-magistrate-unhappy-as-marlion-pickett-s-court-case-stalls-again-20240301-p5f95v.html
