Charges dropped against Charlie Teo’s daughter Nicola Teo

A judge has told neurosurgeon Charlie Teo’s daughter Nicola she is “free to go,” after prosecutors mysteriously dropped charges against her.

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against acclaimed neurosurgeon Charlie Teo’s daughter over a car crash that left a former bikie critically injured, but the DPP is refusing to say what prompted the shock decision.

Nicola Teo, 26, of Bondi, faced Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday just as her five-day trial was due to begin only to be told the case against her was being dismissed after she had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm over the 2019 incident.

Police had originally alleged she was driving on the wrong side of the road when her Toyota LandCruiser collided with former Comanchero boss Jock Ross’s motorcycle in Lower Macdonald, 80km northwest of Sydney.

Nicola Teo (middle) outside court in Sydney on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Prosecutors had earlier told the court a key issue during her trial would have been automatism, but when asked why the case was being withdrawn a DPP spokeswoman refused to answer and only said: “This matter was withdrawn in the District Court this morning - The Office has no further comment”.

When an act is committed in the state of automatism, a person committing an offence did so without any control or direction over what was being done.

Outside court, Mr Ross’s daughter Holly Gittany said she was shattered the case had been dismissed at the last minute in this fashion.

“It’s just not right what’s happened here today,” she said.

“He’s not well, what my dad has been through these two years, he’s just not well, and what we’ve all been through – what’s happened today is just not right.”

Teo with her neurosurgeon father Charlie Teo.

Holly Gittany and her ex-Comanchero boss father, Jock Ross.

Ms Gittany said she was given no pre-warning that the charges against Teo were going to be dropped.

“My dad will never be the same again,” she said.

“My dad had to stand down from the fire brigade, it’s just not right what happened.

“My dad was severely injured, my dad spent months in hospital, I was told that morning that he wasn’t going to survive.”

Mr Ross’s wife Vanessa told The Daily Telegraph her husband was “inconsolable”.

“It’s just not right, he’s having ongoing treatment for his leg, it’s a never-ending battle, he’s inconsolable at the verdict,” she said.

“That accident totally changed his life, it’s changed all our lives, Jock has had to stand down as captain from the fire service. He’s not been the same since that accident.”

Judge Warwick Hunt formally withdrew and dismissed the case against Teo after prosecutors told the court they did not plan to pursue the matter.

Nicola Teo.

“Ms Teo, that means there’s nothing that now holds you and you’re free to go and get on with your life,” Judge Hunt said.

Ms Teo’s supporters gasped when the judge dismissed her case.

Mr Ross suffered critical injuries in the incident and was flown to a hospital.

The other withdrawn charges against Teo included backup offences of negligent driving, not keeping left of a dividing line and not giving particulars to police.

In the months after the crash Mr Ross said he was lucky to be alive.

“I was dead, they didn’t think I would make it to hospital,” Mr Ross said.

“I’m lucky to be alive.”

Now aged in his late 70s, Mr Ross was a founding father of bikie gangs in Australia.

He spent five years in jail for his role in the notorious 1984 Milperra Massacre that left seven people dead and 28 injured.

Teo’s dad Charlie is a world-renowned neurosurgeon.