Adelaide United tells SA court former boss Piet van der Pol has not returned the club’s $50,000 BMW since job ended
Just when it seemed the legal battle between Adelaide United and its former boss was over, things have flared once again – this time over a $50,000 BMW.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Adelaide United’s former chairman is still driving the club’s $50,000 BMW and will not return it despite having lost his $684,000 legal battle, a court has heard.
This week, the Supreme Court was told Piet van der Pol had not handed over the keys to his corporate car, nor his laptop or phone, since “parting ways” with the club in April.
Lawyers for the club said their client wanted the items back – along with cash from the sale of Mr van der Pol’s home at Henley Beach, in order to cover their legal expenses.
Judge Graham Dart said he was willing to hear that application, but noted a complication had arisen.
He said Mr van der Pol, who lost his case by default when neither he nor any lawyers attended court, had new counsel – who also had yet to attend any hearings.
In July, The Advertiser revealed Mr Van Der Pol had issued Adelaide United with a statutory demand for $684,000 in allegedly “unpaid salary” over his time as its executive chairman.
The club successfully argued it owed him no debt, as his actual employer during that period was Global Football Operations (GFO) in Hong Kong.
It further argued that GFO had paid Mr van der Pol “in Chinese currency” through the club’s bank account when he needed proof of employment to buy his Henley Beach property.
The club also claimed Mr van der Pol was “selling off his assets in Australia”.
In August, Judge Dart threw out the statutory demand, dubbing it “odd” and questioning whether it was “a sham of some sort”.
This week, counsel for Adelaide United said Mr van der Pol had sold off the Henley Beach property and paid some of those proceeds into court as security against his costs.
Judge Dart confirmed that was the case, saying $167,000 had been paid into the suitor’s fund against the club’s estimated $50,000 in legal bills so far.
Counsel for the club said that figure was likely to rise owing to Mr van der Pol’s refusal to return the car, laptop and phone.
They said they had secured separate court orders freezing those assets, and there should be no barrier to their immediate return.
However, they conceded Mr van der Pol’s new lawyers should have time to acquaint themselves with the case and obtain his instructions.
Judge Dart adjourned the matter for further hearing in two weeks.
Kidnapper’s downfall into life of crime revealed
A violent kidnapper has had further jail time added for drug charges after his life spiralled out of control.
Major highway closed due to Hazmat incident near WA border
Residents near the SA border with WA have been advised to keep inside with the windows shut as a major highway was closed following a hazmat incident.