NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre denies claims he spat on police officer
The alleged NCA bomber is back in court – this time denying claims he spat on a police officer sent to investigate a prison bashing.
Police & Courts
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Longtime NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre turned and spat at an SA Police officer sent to investigate claims he had been assaulted in prison, a court has heard.
But his lawyer has said the entire incident never happened and was made up to make his Mr Perre look like a “dog” or prison informer.
On Thursday, Mr Perre faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court by video link after being transferred from Yatala Labor Prison’s infirmary.
Sporting a grey beard and a sling across his right shoulder, Mr Perre coughed repeatedly and made use of an asthma inhaler.
Giving evidence, Detective Brevett Sergeant Simon Cassell said he and his partner attended the Adelaide Remand Centre in November 2018 to interview Mr Perre.
He said that, after viewing CCTV of the “significant assault” and despite, being told Mr Perre did not want to make a statement, asked to speak to him in his cell.
“Mr Perre was the victim in the matter... he has the right, as any other victim does, to give a statement and decide what involvement he wanted to have in the matter,” he said.
“Mr Perre was lying on a bed... he sort of made a grumbling sort of noise, I thought he was clearing his throat and was going to talk to me ... he turned his head, rolled his shoulders, then he just spat.
“It hit me on the top of my jacket... it was globs of spittle on my jacket, it was quite prominent ... I was a bit stunned, it was not the reaction I was expecting.”
Mr Perre, 63, has pleaded not guilty to one aggravated count of assault.
He is also awaiting a Supreme Court verdict, having pleaded not guilty to counts of murder and attempted murder.
Mr Perre has denied all responsibility for the parcel bomb that killed Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen and seriously injured lawyer Peter Wallis on March 1, 1994.
Justice Kevin Nicholson, who heard that trial in the absence of a jury, has been deliberating upon his verdict since September.
On Thursday, Detective Cassell conceded he kept no notes of the incident, had not sought out prison CCTV footage and did not know why the guard at Mr Perre’s cell had not given a statement.
Gilbert Aitken, for Mr Perre, suggested Detective Cassell had spoken with Major Crime detectives before attending the ARC to ensure he was not “treading on their toes”.
He also suggested the officer had formed personal opinions about the NCA bombing and Perre’s alleged involvement.
“Mr Perre told you ‘I don’t want to talk to you, I have no time for you, f--- off’ and you said ‘you are in enough trouble, it would be in your interests and advantageous to you to consider talking to us’,” he said.
Detective Cassell said that was “absolutely” untrue and refuted all of Mr Aitken’s suggestions – including that detectives had been trying to interview Mr Perre in front of other prisoners, making him appear to be a prison informer.
In a brief closing address Mr Aitken said Mr Perre had been “robbed” of the ability to clear his name because police did not gather any forensic evidence against him.
“That’s just plain shoddy,” Mr Aitken said.
“You can’t just come before the court and say we are police officers, believe us, its just not enough.
“If you want to prove the case, get the DNA tested.”
Mr Fahey will hand down a verdict next month.
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