Terrence Pearce jailed after finding $1m by the roadside after eavesdropping in a pokie room

A man’s explanation for finding $1m in hidden “bikie” cash is “inherently unlikely”, a judge says, but accepted it – before jailing him anyway.

Terrence Pearce has been sentenced after $1m was found in his ute at Oodla Wirra. Picture: SA Police

A man eavesdropping on “bikies” in a pokie room thought he hit the jackpot when he found $1m cash hidden by a rural roadside – but he has instead been jailed for the crime.

Terrence Patrick Pearce, 54, told the District Court he had located the cash – secreted in an insulated shopping bag and a box – somewhere between Yunta and Manna Hill in the state’s Northeast pastoral district on November 14, 2020.

His dreams of a “treasure bath” were thwarted when he passed through a Covid-19 checkpoint on the Barrier Hwy at Oodla Wirra where officers noticed he appeared “unduly nervous” and searched his ute.

During subsequent searches of his Owen home, and another property at Templars police uncovered more than 30 mature cannabis plants and drug paraphernalia including multiple sets of digital scales.

Pearce pleaded guilty to multiple offences including knowingly engaging in money laundering, cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis plants and possessing ecstasy for supply.

An insulated shopping bag filled with cash police found in Terrence Pearce’s ute. Picture: Courts SA.

Terrence Pearce leave the Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier hearing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Prosecutor James Slocombe had previously told the court Pearce’s version of events was “quite improbable”.

But, in sentencing on Thursday, Judge Rauf Soulio said he accepted Pearce’s explanation which was given under oath “on the balance of probabilities”. But, he said that some aspects of Pearce’s account were “subject to question”.

He said Pearce had told the court he made plans to find the cash “in retribution for a previous experience” with one of the men he had overhead in the pub pokie room.

“The idea that such a large sum of cash might be dropped off at a roadside stop and there secreted and remain for a period carried an inherent unlikelihood,” Judge Soulio said.

“There was evidence from police officers that such a method of an exchange of cash was not unknown in criminal transactions.

“Your story and account of events in my view was not shaken. The onus was upon you to establish that on the balance of probabilities that they were the circumstances in which you came into possession of that cash.

“I am prepared to find on the balance of probabilities that that was so. You will be sentenced on that basis.”

Terrence Pearce. Picture: Messenger Newspapers

He said Pearce, who began using drugs when he became involved in the music industry as a teen, was housed in a regional prison due to “threats” against him.

Judge Soulio said Pearce’s offending was “serious” and carried maximum penalties of up to 25 and 20 years in prison.

Taking into account discounts for his pleas, time served in custody and time spent on home detention, he jailed Pearce for five years, nine months and 18 days. He set a non-parole period of two years and nine months.

The sentence also included a term of imprisonment for breaching a suspended sentence bond.