Anthony Perre — son of NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre — fined over drug, electricity charges
THE lawyer son of NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre has been fined $1400 and had convictions recorded over an elaborate underground drug-growing bunker at his home.
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THE son of an NCA bombing suspect has been fined $1400 and had convictions recorded against him over drug and electricity diversion offences.
Anthony Perre — a prominent northern suburbs lawyer and son of National Crime Authority bombing suspect Domenic Perre — is now the subject of an investigation by the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner and may have his practising certificate suspended.
Perre, 35, appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Friday where Magistrate Yoong Fee Chin fined him $600 for possessing prescribed equipment and $800 for diverting electricity.
Mr Chin also recorded convictions against Perre and stated his actions could bring the legal profession into disrepute.
The Advertiser revealed last month that Perre was charged with possessing drug-growing equipment and stealing electricity.
He pleaded guilty to both charges in his first court appearance.
Perre, who owns his own Salisbury-based legal firm, has also been charged with possessing illegal armour-piercing military ammunition and failing to comply with firearms regulations.
Those alleged offences are yet to be dealt with.
His wife, Emma Perre, 36, was jointly charged with the same offences.
Mr Chin said he accepted the submission by defence lawyer Lindy Powell QC that Perre — who had no criminal record — bought drug equipment to grow three cannabis plants for personal use.
He also accepted her argument that cannabis growing instructions found in the bunker demonstrated he was not an experienced grower.
However, Mr Chin said Perre’s admission that he diverted electricity so as to avoid detection of his plants showed the offending was “planned and executed”.
“Like most professions, the codes of ethical and legal conduct are indoctrinated into us members, and to be admitted, the legal profession requires its members to take a public oath before the Judges of the Supreme Court,” Mr Chin said.
“A noble aspiration flowing from that oath is to ... robustly uphold the legal rights of the weak from oppression and protect the helpless in the courts wherever it is within the sacred confines of the law.
“The members of the legal profession in a democratic society ... are the de facto guardians of the law. This calling has to be zealously guarded.
“Hence where a member of the legal profession swaps the bar table for the dock, and because those of us who serve in the judiciary come from the ranks of the legal profession, it is inevitable that this matter will invite public scrutiny which may even lead to the integrity and dignity of the legal profession (being) challenged.”
Perre did not comment as he left court.
Law Society of South Australia president Tony Rossi said because Perre’s charges were summary offences, he would not automatically be struck off as a result of the convictions.
“At this stage, he is entitled to continue practising normally,” he said.
However Mr Rossi said Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Greg May had launched an investigation into Perre’s conduct and may take disciplinary action against him, including suspending his license to practice law, depending on the outcome of his inquiry.
Mr Rossi would not be drawn into whether Perre had disgraced his profession.
The charges were laid after police raided Perre’s Curnow Rd property at Waterloo Corner and allegedly found a large cache of 45,000 rounds of high-powered military ammunition in a bunker under a shed on the property.
Detectives from the Drug Investigation Branch conducted the search after receiving intelligence that suggested hydroponic cannabis was allegedly being cultivated there.
They claim they found an elaborate irrigation system, large carbon filters and several plastic tubs commonly used to grow cannabis plants.
A search of another shed allegedly located more than 45,000 rounds of military ammunition, weighing 750kg.
Detectives also seized 10 firearms, including rifles and handguns, which were registered and appropriately secured.
Perre’s father, Domenic Perre, is a suspect in the 1994 bombing of the National Crime Authority building in Waymouth St, Adelaide.
The bombing killed detective Geoffrey Bowen and injured lawyer Peter Wallis.