Ex-top cop Peter Bravos applies to unmask ICAC ‘whistleblower’ who may be witness in his rape trial

LAWYERS for a former top cop facing historical rape allegations have applied for an order compelling the Independent Commission Against Corruption to turn over the identity of a ‘whistleblower’ who may be called to give evidence in his trial.

Former NT Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Bravos arrives at Darwin Local Court with barrister John Lawrence SC. Picture: Keri Megelus

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LAWYERS for a former top cop facing historical rape allegations have applied for an order compelling the Independent Commission Against Corruption to turn over the identity of a “whistleblower” who may be called to give evidence in his trial.

Peter Bravos has indicated he will plead not guilty when the case proceeds to trial in the Supreme Court later this year and on Thursday his legal team told Justice Stephen Southwood the person’s identity was “necessary” for his defence.

The court heard the whistleblower made the report to the then Public Interest Disclosure Commission before that body was disbanded and its functions subsumed by the ICAC.

In making the application, Bravos’s barrister, John Lawrence SC, said the whistleblower would “probably (be) on the witness list and we would want to question that witness as to (their) motivations and intentions”.

“Without knowing who made this disclosure … the accused is going to be left with a shortfall — he should be allowed to test these witnesses that are involved in this,” he said.

“We say that, on balance, he should be given access but we have no wish at all for the anonymity and the like to go anywhere other than the trial and we would submit that the trial judge could craft sufficient orders to ensure that that can occur.”

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But in urging the court not to unmask the whistleblower, NT Solicitor-General Sonia Brownhill SC — representing ICAC — said “the intimidatory effect” of disclosing their identity on future whistleblowers weighed against it.

“In my submission it’s obvious that the disclosure of the whistleblower’s identity for the purpose of interrogating them about their motives in making the disclosure is far more likely to have an adverse impact upon potential future whistleblowers than the disclosure of their identity itself,” she said.

“It’s one thing to provide the disclosure itself and then whatever Crown witnesses are called could be examined about their motives.”

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Justice Southwood reserved his decision until May 5 and the trial is due to begin on July 27.