The Snitch: $6m armoured van accused robbers set for a retrial
Six armoured truck robberies took place in 2009, with more than $6 million cash stolen by men armed with pistols and an AK-47 machine gun. Now a decade later, the case that won’t go away is back in the courts again.
NSW
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Buckle up Sydney. A decade after the city was hit by a series of dramatic armoured truck robberies — the case that won’t go away is back in the courts again.
The extremely prolonged criminal matter relates to four men who were found not guilty on all charges over one of the state’s most notorious crimes.
Six armoured truck robberies took place in 2009, with more than $6 million cash stolen by men armed with pistols and an AK-47 machine gun who got away in stolen sports cars.
The four accused stood trial in a marathon 96-day case in 2012 but were found not guilty.
Story’s over, right? Not a chance.
The police and prosecuting lawyers never got over the loss and have spent seven years working to have the case reheard.
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On Friday they edged one step closer to their goal when they filed an application with the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal asking it to order a retrial for the four men.
Thanks to a quirk in the law, all four accused robbers can’t be identified at this stage of the case.
The road to this point is as remarkable as the crimes.
Months after the not guilty verdicts, one of the men, who is considered one of the state’s most dangerous criminals, visited an inmate at Lithgow Jail and told his mate how he got away with the robberies.
Only problem was there was a police recording device under the table and the criminal was later found guilty of perjury.
Still with us?
Well, prosecutors are now using that perjury conviction to argue the 2012 verdicts were “tainted” and the four men should stand trial again.
Lawyer Ben Jamieson, who represents two of the men, said the application would be vigorously defended.
“The evidence in the Crown case at the trial in 2012 was completely insufficient,” Mr Jamieson said.
“We are confident the result was the correct one and are concerned at the significant expenditure involved in attempting to drag these matters out again.”
Only $500,000 of the stolen money was recovered.
The robberies included hits on trucks at North Sydney, Potts Point, Epping, Cranbrook High School and a raid on the Lane Cove Chubb base where a truck holding about $2 million was smashed through the front gate.
We’ll keep you posted on the application.
THE PROSECUTOR THAT COULD
Talk about tough. Over the past 14 years, Senior Constable Melissa Kilminster has undergone a staggering 107 surgeries after she suffered a shoulder injury in an on-duty car crash.
The mother-of-one feared she would have to give up her much-loved policing job after the crash but defied all odds — surprising even her employer we hear — when she returned to work as a prosecutor.
She has typed up police fact sheets from her hospital bed and endured the pain of dislocating her shoulder performing the most simple of tasks, such as pressing a button.
In 2018, she was named NSW Police prosecutor of the year.
But Melissa has now been dealt another blow with news she will have to undergo more surgery to have her leg amputated.
To make matters worse, because the amputation is not a direct result of the original injury, she is not covered by her work-related insurance scheme, according to NSW Police Legacy.
She is facing a $60,000 bill for a prosthetic leg plus more than $35,000 in surgical expenses.
To keep her on her feet in the courtroom, Legacy has established a fundraiser with proceeds going towards her medical bills.
The Snitch urges people to go to scmelissakilminster.gofundraise.com.au to show their support.
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW
There’s a crook out there who will have to live his life with a harsh reminder of the person who finally ensured the law caught up with him.
This crim is a new dad and he was taken down by an undercover police officer. Only problem for the crook is that he gave his child the same name as the undercover cop.
And don’t worry, we’ll definitely tell you who it is when the case is over.
SKELETON CREW
It’s the hot trend item for wide-eye festival goers that police have banned.
We’re reliably informed organisers of the Hardcore Til I Die event in Homebush recently had to scrap plans to sell thousands of dollars worth of skeleton face masks.
Police tasked with handling the event — and the overdoses that came with it — delivered the ban 24 hours before the dance festival was due to start.
Their argument being when festival goers pull the masks up to just below their eyes, the tell tale signs of intoxication and teeth grinding can’t be seen.
* Got a snitch? Contact ava.benny-morrison@news.com.au or brenden.hills@news.com.au
Originally published as The Snitch: $6m armoured van accused robbers set for a retrial
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