Charges against Samuel Camilleri dropped after alleged Marty Bella attack
Prosecutors have dropped charges in the case against a man charged with allegedly running down a former Origin great before assaulting him on his own property.
Police & Courts
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Criminal charges against a man accused of running down a former Origin great on his own property have been dropped as prosecutors determine there are “no reasonable prospects” for a conviction.
Samuel Anthony Camilleri was charged with running down rugby league great Marty Bella, spraying industrial detergent in his eyes and punching him up to six times in the head during an alleged violent altercation at Koumala in 2021.
It was alleged there was a verbal altercation before the 55 year old deliberately drove his ute at Mr Bella, a councillor with Mackay Regional Council, who was on a quad bike.
The former star prop had alleged he had come across Mr Camilleri on his newly bought Schirmer Rd property, 60km south of Mackay, on July 15.
Mr Camilleri was charged with dangerous driving and assault causing bodily harm while armed/in company over the alleged incident.
He first appeared in Sarina Magistrates Court in August 2021 and pleaded not guilty to the charges the following month.
The matter was listed for a committal hearing in Mackay Magistrates Court in July 2022 and Mr Bella was one of five witnesses questioned.
Under questioning from Fisher Dore Lawyers defence solicitor Nick Dore, Mr Bella told the court Mr Camilleri allegedly “rolled the bike over the top of me, sprayed me, bashed me, then tried to run me over and continue to drive”.
He also alleged he had been “knocked unconscious twice” and was “struggling very badly”.
The matter was committed to Mackay District Court which means the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had six months to present an indictment formally charging Mr Camilleri in the higher jurisdiction.
The Daily Mercury contacted the DPP, which confirmed the matter had been discontinued earlier this month.
“The Crown had determined that there were no reasonable prospects of obtaining a conviction in this case,” a DPP office spokesman said.
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