Darren Keays’ bid for freedom following alleged mistaken police charges

A Mill Park man spent more than a week behind bars after he was allegedly nabbed with stolen goods, but his lawyer told the court it was all a big mistake and the items belonged to his client.

Darren Keays was allegedly busted loading stolen tools and cash into the back of a car in Macleod on July 17, a court heard. Picture: Facebook

A man has spent more than a week behind bars after he was arrested loading tools, which police thought were stolen, into the back of his girlfriend’s car.

Darren Keays, 29, of Mill Park, faced Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he was granted bail following his arrest on July 17.

Constable Nathan Clements told the court Keays had a long history of criminal offending, including thefts, and was busted by police loading drills, an angle grinder, hammers and screwdrivers as well as $2500 cash into the back of his girlfriend’s car in Macleod.

Police charged Keays with breaching his bail and negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime, Constable Clements told the court.

But Keays’ lawyer told the court his client’s arrest was a misunderstanding and the tools related to this allegation actually belonged to his client.

Magistrate Jan Maclean said she accepted the prosecution’s case against Keays wasn’t strong and granted his bail application.

But she warned Keays, who was bailed by the court in May after he allegedly stole tools from a Ringwood construction site, that any further alleged offending would land him back in jail.

“If you keep breaching your bail conditions you understand what’s going to happen don’t you? There’s no excuse,” Ms Maclean said.

Keays was bailed to attend court at a later date.

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