Accused ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle pleads not guilty to information recording and disclosure charges
An accused ATO whistleblower is bound for a landmark trial which will test federal disclosure laws after officially pleading not guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.
Police & Courts
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A former Australian Taxation Office employee facing more than 150 years in prison for allegedly blowing the whistle on practices within the department has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Richard Boyle, 44, was dismissed from his role as tax collector with ATO in 2018 after releasing information to the media about aggressive tactics allegedly used within the Adelaide office.
As a result of that disclosure his house was raided and he was charged with 66 offences, including disclosing protected information and using a listening device to monitor a private conversation.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday Boyle’s lawyer told the court her client, who was excused from attending, had put in writing his formal not guilty pleas to all charges.
The case is now bound for the District Court for trial but not after a longer than usual four month adjournment for both Boyle’s legal team and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution to review the large amounts of information.
Boyle indicated he would be pleading not guilty as early as June last year but did not enter formal pleas until Tuesday.
He launched a gofundme fundraising page in August last year to help fund his defence in what is predicted to be a landmark test case because it will be the first time federal disclosure laws will have been tested.