Infamous Porsche driver Richard Pusey taken naked after refusing to go to court

An infamous Porsche driver’s high-profile case was plunged into chaos when they had to be taken naked ahead of their court appearance.

The infamous Porsche driver who filmed the aftermath of a truck crash that killed four police officers in Melbourne has had a dramatic day at court after initially refusing to appear.

Richard Pusey allegedly uploaded graphic images of the April 2020 Eastern Freeway crash in a Google review of a Porsche dealership and in a complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

The 44-year-old is facing two charges of using a carriage service in an offensive manner and two charges of breaching bail by allegedly reoffending.

Pusey, who uses they/them pronouns, was scheduled to appear at Sunshine Magistrates Court at 10am on Friday, but the court was told they refused to come out of the Sunshine police cells.

Richard Pusey refused to appear in Sunshine Magistrates Court on Friday. Picture: Ian Currie

A Sunshine police uniform sergeant was told by custody management at the Metropolitan Remand Centre earlier in the day that Pusey had refused to go to court, get dressed and was non-compliant with their directions.

In the end, Pusey was physically removed, carried out of their cell and transported naked with a blanket to Sunshine.

The sergeant said Pusey had not used violence, with magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz calling their stance a “passive refusal”.

The sergeant also said physical force was not used on Pusey to bring them to Sunshine.

A Sunshine custody officer told the court he had asked Pusey if they were willing to go to court.

The custody officer said after about three or four attempts to get a response, Pusey said they did not want to go to court or see the magistrate and asked if they were being recorded.

Police and custody officers were not given a clear reason for why Pusey refused to appear in court.

Ms Mykytowycz said she would move on with the hearing even if Pusey still refused to appear.

“I do think this matter does need to be finalised,” she said

“If we were at the start of the proceedings I must say my concern would be greater. The evidence is all but finished from the prosecution case.”

They were taken naked to Sunshine after refusing to go to court. Picture: Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

She asked the police sergeant to tell Pusey that if they did not appear in court by 11.45am, the hearing would move ahead without them.

When the sergeant returned after 11.45am, they relayed the following message from Pusey.

“I didn’t want to come out. I wanted to do it on video at prison like I requested several times,” Mr Pusey said.

“Take me back to prison, I’ll do it from there.

“I’m happy to proceed by video only. Adjourn it, stand it down, take me back to prison.”

In response, Ms Mykytowycz said she would move ahead without them.

“As I’ve indicated, the court cannot be hijacked by the desires and whims of those in custody,” she said.

“I acknowledge the difficulties that have occurred for him and particularly the manner in which he was brought to court today, but I am going to proceed in his absence.”

When the hearing resumed, Ms Mykytowycz reiterated her surprise that Pusey had not appeared.

She said it very was significant in her view that the accused person should be there, especially since Pusey was self-represented.

A one-star review written about the Porsche Centre Melbourne by an author claiming to be Richard Pusey.

But more than 10 minutes later, the court was told that Pusey would be appearing in court and in person after all.

When the hearing resumed once more, Pusey, in a green prison jumpsuit and with long dark hair, appeared in court.

For the next hour, Pusey, who is self-represented, cross-examined a police sergeant.

On several occasions, Ms Mykytowycz had to clarify or pull Pusey back over what they were saying.

She also had to remind them of the rules of a contested hearing and the type of questions they are allowed to ask.

“It’s not sufficient to make statements, you do have to ask the questions because this is not evidence,” Ms Mykytowycz said at one stage when Pusey was discussing images of the crash.

Richard Pusey is representing himself in the hearing. Picture: Jason Edwards

At one point, Pusey brought up the Netflix series on infamous American serial killer and sex offender Jeffrey Dahmer that they had seen on television “the other day” when discussing the charges they were facing.

“I don’t think we need to hear that,” Ms Mykytowycz swiftly said in response.

Pusey’s line of questioning was mainly centred on images of the crash. They suggested other people had taken pictures at the scene.

As part of the cross-examination, the police sergeant was asked to look at images of the hit officers and crash scene for several minutes.

The police sergeant questioned multiple times whether some of the things he was being asked were relevant, but Ms Mykytowycz reminded him what was relevant “was a matter” for her to determine.

She did shut down questions over the relevance and appropriateness on various occasions though, while police prosecutor Anthony Albore objected to other questions that were raised.

At one stage, Ms Mykytowycz said she was not sure where Pusey was going with their line of questioning, but gave them “a bit of leeway” because they were self-represented.

She also had to stop Pusey from raising their prior criminal history on several occasions.

“You’re getting into territory which is getting into bad character,” she said.

“You are entitled to have a hearing where the judicial officer hearing your matter is unaware of your prior history.”

THE HEARING

Police allege Pusey distributed graphic pictures of the April 2020 crash – some of which showed the severely injured officers – online in a Google review of a car dealership and for a complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Pusey was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment on April 28, 2021 after they were found guilty of outraging public decency by filming the deaths of four police officers.

Pusey had been pulled over by police for speeding when a truck veered into the emergency lane and fatally hit the four officers.

The former mortgage broker has been self-represented throughout the hearing.

NO APPEARANCE

Earlier on Friday morning, Ms Mykytowycz entered courtroom seven at Sunshine Magistrate Court around 20 minutes after the hearing was supposed to begin and said there had been a “bit of an issue”.

“I’m told at this point in time, he doesn’t wish to come into a courtroom,” she said.

The message she asked to be conveyed to the custody officers was she “certainly won‘t be engaging” with Pusey unless they were in court.

She suggested Pusey could appear via video link with the camera turned off.

Pusey after being released from the Melbourne Remand Centre last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Ms Mykytowycz also said she would ask the custody officers to give evidence if Pusey did not appear, which was what ended up happening.

She said she had hoped the issue might have been “averted”.

“I must say, Mr Pusey … he’s generally, he’s always, in fact, very polite and respectful of a court when he’s actually here,” she said.

Originally published as Infamous Porsche driver Richard Pusey taken naked after refusing to go to court