Case against alleged Wallaroo siege gunman Jake Lloyd Dohnt caught up in SA’s court efficiency measures
Key evidence from last year’s two-day Wallaroo manhunt and siege is still not ready seven months on — and a magistrate is ready to consider throwing the case out of court.
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Key evidence from last year’s Wallaroo siege is still not ready, seven months later – and a magistrate says she is ready to consider throwing out the case.
On Tuesday, the prosecution of alleged gunman Jake Lloyd Dohnt became yet another casualty of the state’s controversial court efficiency measures.
SA Police asked it be adjourned another 10 weeks because the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions would not finalise the charges until DNA analysis was complete.
Magistrate Elizabeth Sheppard questioned the DPP’s need for the DNA, recovered from an imitation firearm allegedly pointed, by Dohnt, at an officer.
“Charge determination is not a process by which a brief is expected to be trial-ready, it’s for the ODPP to decide a charge based on the evidence supporting it,” she said.
“This allegation comes from a police officer and a silver-handled gun was found nearby – circumstantial evidence supports this, one might think, quite apart from DNA.
“I’m very concerned by the length of time that’s passing … if a determination is not made, the court may well entertain an application for dismissal.”
Dohnt, 25, has yet to plead to 15 charges including endangering life, driving dangerously and making threats to kill another person.
The charges arise from a two-day manhunt in Wallaroo in July last year that began when, police allege, officers tried to pull Dohnt over on the Spencer Highway.
He allegedly refused to stop and led police on a pursuit, abandoning his car and then pointing an imitation handgun at officers, forcing one to fire a single shot in his direction.
Wallaroo was shut down as officers from STAR Group and the Dog Operations Unit – using the armoured Bearcat vehicle – searched for Dohnt.
They warned Dohnt was armed and dangerous, and alleged he was being harboured by locals, prior to his arrest in a paddock outside Port Wakefield.
At Dohnt’s first court appearance, police asked for a 10-month adjournment to compile evidence including DNA analysis.
That application was refused, however, with the court saying six months was sufficient.
On Tuesday, Senior Sergeant Leigh Simpson said much of the evidence had been obtained in that time, but the DNA and some statements remained outstanding.
“The ODPP’s initial adjudication is that DNA is required for charge determination, and the analysis is expected mid-February,” he said.
“My application is for a 10-week adjournment – four to secure the DNA and six for the ODPP to consider its determination.”
Counsel for Dohnt opposed the delay – and flagged a possible bid for bail – and Ms Sheppard agreed it was too long, adjourning the case until March.
“I’m willing to grant no longer than six weeks … it’s up to the prosecution to sort this out,” she said.
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