S.M. discounts ‘evil’ woman’s evidence

Press, 12 May 1980, Page 13

S.M. discounts ‘evil’ woman’s evidence

NZPA ' Sydney Evidence by a woman that a Sydney law clerk had acted as a go-between between narcotics agents and a drug pedlar was “manifestly unreliable,” a Sydney Central’ Court magistrate has said. Mr C. Gilmore, S.M., said the woman’s evidence has been discredited by her own inconsistency. He dismissed charges of conspiracy against the law clerk, Brian Alexander, and two Federal narcotics agents. The Magistrate said the woman, known as Miss B, was deeply involved in crime and an “evil” woman who was apparently prepared to do and say anything to suit her own interests. Alexander and the narcotics agents, Richard John Spencer and Wayne John Brindle, were charged with having conspired together and with Terrence John Clark between May, 1978, and March, 1979, to provide Clark with information concerning the importation and distribution of narcotics in Australia. Clark is in custody in England facing a number of charges, including one of murder. Mr Gilmore was told that Miss B could be described as Clark’s mistress and right-hand man in his drug-smuggling. Mr Gilmore found that a prims, facie case had not been made out against Alexander, Spencer, or Brindle and dismissed the charges against all three.

It was alleged in court that Alexander had acted as a go-between to pass information from Spencer and Brindle to Clark, and had also obtained for Clark tapes, of statements made by Douglas and Isabel Wilson to . the Brisbane police. The Magistrate said there was conflict in Miss B’s statements as to how Clark had obtained the Wilson tapes. In a statement to the British police, Miss B said a Brisbane policeman for a copy of-the tapes. However, she had later .said she did not know how Clark got the tapes, but assumed he got them from Alexander. “How can that stand up?” the Magistrate said. He said he was satisfied

he could not rely on the evidence of Miss B. There was no evidence to support allegations that Brindle and Spencer had received about $lOO,OOO over a period from Clark, the Magistrate said. “If the Crown alleges Brindle and Spencer were being paid, where is the logic in,blowing the situation up to kill the goose that laid the golden egg?” he said. In relation to allegations that Alexander was the go-between, the Wilsons’ statement to the Brisbane police was that Clark’s.! source was at the Narcotics Bureau, the Magistrate said. “Why then have s middle man? Why bother having Alexander at all if the source was at the bureau?” he said.