Sydney man used insider info to bet — and win — on Australian of Year five years running: AFP

A man charged with using inside information for betting purposes after landing bets on Australian of Year five years running may ask to be tried on mental health grounds, lawyer says.

Australian Federal Police have arrested a Sydney man over inside info to bet on Australian of the Year winners.

A Sydney man charged with using insider information to allegedly win thousands of dollars when he placed bets on the Australian of the Year winner, could “possibly” make an application for the matter to be dealt with on mental health grounds.

Christopher Shannon, 47, from Collaroy, did not appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after Australian Federal Police charged him with six counts of using inside information for betting purposes.

The AFP alleges Shannon received the information from a Commonwealth employee to place bets on the awards over a five-year period between 2017 to 2021 and won $7542 from an outlay of $1767.

Operation Maridun was established in February 2021, after the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) provided a report to the AFP about betting irregularities in the 2021 Australian of the Year awards.

Shannon’s lawyer, Carrie Nicol,` initially requested for the matter to be adjourned to February 20 “possibly” for a mental health application in Manly.

Christopher Shannon allegedly used insider information to place bets on the Australian of the Year awards.

However, Registrar Tim Henderson said he was unsure whether he could “set it down” for a mental health application in that court.

The matter was ultimately adjourned to Manly Local Court for plea or mention.

2021 Australian of the Year, Grace Tame. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Among winners of the prestigious Australian of the Year award during the time Shannon allegedly placed his bets was child sexual abuse campaigner Grace Tame, who won the top gong in 2021, and hero Thai cave divers Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen in 2019, recognised for their role in the extraordinary rescue of the boys’ soccer team from a cave in July 2018.

Eye surgeon and blindness prevention pioneer Dr James Muecke won the prize in 2020, while Professor Michelle Yvone Simons AO was awarded Australian of the Year in 2018 for her work in quantum computing.

Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim AM was posthumously awarded the honour in 2017 – the first year Shannon allegedly placed his insider bets – for his work pioneering stem cell treatment for spinal cord injuries.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Email [e-mail]

Originally published as Sydney man used insider info to bet — and win — on Australian of Year five years running: AFP