Steve Barrett, journalist accused of blackmailing Plutus Payroll, ends in hung jury

The trial of Steve Barrett, a journalist accused of blackmailing alleged ATO tax scammers for millions of dollars, has ended in a hung jury.

Veteran Sydney crime reporter Steve Barrett says he is innocent after a jury was discharged when it was unable to reach a verdict on whether he blackmailed the alleged masterminds behind a major tax fraud scheme.

The former 60 Minutes producer had pleaded not guilty to becoming involved in the 2017 plot to demand $5 million from the alleged $105 million tax fraud syndicate that operated through a company called Plutus Payroll

The 63-year-old allegedly walked into a meeting with Plutus and rattled off a series of accusations to the alleged fraudsters including Adam Cranston, the so-called Plutus principal and the son of a former ATO deputy commissioner.

Barrett then left the room as another alleged blackmailer told Cranston and Plutus members they would need to pay $5m to keep the journalist from exposing them.

The trial of former journalist Steve Barrett has ended in a hung jury. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

The NSW Supreme Court jury in Barrett’s trial was unable to reach a verdict on the single charge of blackmail and Justice Peter Johnson, SC, discharged it on Wednesday.

Outside court when asked if he was ready to do it again an emotional Barrett said: “Of course I am, I’m not guilty.”

His barrister, Clive Steirn, SC, said his client’s position was unchanged.

“Mr Barrett maintains his plea of not guilty and that will remain,” he said.

The jury spent a marathon nine days deliberating Barrett’s fate but it was deadlocked on the offence, which carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

One juror had been discharged last Friday after the court was told there was “anxiety and conflict” in the jury room while they were deliberating.

Media veteran Ray Martin testified for Barrett as a character witness during the trial. Picture: Kieran Gair

She handed a note to the judge that read: “I cannot come into the courtroom with the other jurors, I’m scared to be in the room, please discharge me – sorry.”

Justice Johnson told them to try and achieve a verdict with a majority of 10 jurors out of 11 but that direction did not succeed.

Mr Steirn told the court a second trial would put a “huge strain” on his client personally and financially.

Crown prosecutors had argued Barrett was part of a joint criminal enterprise to extract the money from Plutus and that he had no real intention of unearthing the “explosive” story about tax fraud.

It is alleged Plutus members were diverting millions in PAYG tax and GST for themselves by outsourcing the payroll tax responsibilities to second tier companies with fake directors.

The journalist’s legal defenders said he had no idea about the blackmail ploy and that he had been “reeled in hook, line and sinker” by its architect, Daniel Hausman.

Hausman has confessed and been imprisoned for his role in the blackmail.

Barrett’s lawyers say Hausman was a manipulator who used the journalist’s desire for a story to unwittingly pull him into the plot.

Barrett’s case will return to court at a later date when prosecutors will announce if they wish to seek a retrial.

The journalist will remain on bail until then.