Peter McCarthy death: Nigel Fleming in court on fraud charges

Police allege a man went on a spending spree with a slain grandad’s credit card before making ‘vexatious calls’ to police. But it’s not alleged he had any part in the killing.

The man charged with fraud after a South Coogee grandfather was killed in his unit last year made “vexatious” calls to police weeks after his death and went on a spending spree with his credit cards, police will allege.

Further details have emerged in court surrounding the death of loved grandfather Peter McCarthy last December and the crucial days before and after he was killed.

Nigel Gay Fleming is currently on police bail after his arrest last month, but on Tuesday he wrote into Burwood Local Court, where he was due to appear for the first time, to excuse himself.

Summer Hill man Fleming, 44, has been charged with fraud offences but is not alleged to have had any involvement in the killing of grandfather Peter McCarthy on December 20.

Peter McCarthy.

The last confirmed sighting of Mr McCarthy alive before last Christmas.

According to allegations contained in court documents, Fleming had Mr McCarthy’s stolen ANZ bank card two days before he was found dead on December 20.

That same day police allege Fleming withdrew $800 in cash from the account.

According to court documents, less than a few hours after Mr McCarthy was found dead in his home on December 20 Fleming allegedly used the same card to buy a jar of Nescafe Blend 43 coffee and cashed out $5.

Police accuse Fleming of just minutes later then withdrawing a further $200 from Mr McCarthy’s account.

As detectives were piecing together the tragedy late that same night, police allege Fleming then used the same card to order a cab from Coogee, near the scene, to Waverley for $19.

Narelle Smith, pictured, was arrested and charged with murder on January 11.

The 77-year-old was found dead in his unit, sending shockwaves through his eastern suburbs neighbourhood.

Court documents also detail another significant break in the case for police, who accuse Fleming of making two “vexatious” calls to authorities: one 10 days after Mr McCarthy’s death on December 30 and another on January 8.

Mr McCarthy’s 46-year-old neighbour Narelle Smith was charged with murder three days later on January 11.

She remains in custody and will reappear before Waverley Local Court again later this year.

Police will allege Smith used Mr McCarthy’s Opal card to travel from South Coogee to Surry Hills on December 20, the afternoon his body was discovered.

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