Former MP Rick Williams discharged by court after neighbour dispute

Controversial former MP Rick Williams has been released of all charges after a bizarre dispute with his neighbour.

Rick Williams former MP for Pumicestone.

Former state Labor MP for Pumicestone Rick Williams faced court on Tuesday after a bizarre incident in January.

Williams was initially charged over the alleged theft of a Ningi neighbour’s placard on January 25.

He had planned to defend the charges, and a trial date was set in Caboolture Magistrates Court for Tuesday.

However prosecutors offered no evidence on the charge of stealing and it was dismissed.

While Williams pleaded guilty to trespass and wilful damage, the court ordered he be released absolutely of the charges.

Magistrate Andrew Hackett was critical of the signs erected by the neighbour which he said were a violation of Mr Williams’ enitlement to good repute.

“I am unsurprised that in a moment of all to human frailty, you have resorted to such modest action in the fact of such obvious provocation,” he said.

Editor’s note: Richard Williams comment:

“I had my Barrister ask QPS to drop the charges on numerous occasions, they were as extreme as were the 3 police vehicles and 6 to 8 officers that originally came to my residence armed with a search warrant, while police looked for a $2 sign, which had already been returned, this is not to mention the thousands of dollars from the public purse wasted in this failed prosecution.

The stealing charge, later dropped to trespass and wilful damage, was carried forward on clear instruction of very senior people.

I thank God for Magistrate Hackett who judged the matter on its merits, simply frivolous charges, I reached over a fence and broke a piece of string.

I personally found the blatant waste of public funds prosecuting this matter, to be outrageous.”

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