Judge, links English peer with Aust, drug-running

Press, 15 August 1980, Page 6

Judge, links English peer with Aust, drug-running

NZPA Sydney An English baron was linked with a Sydney drug syndicate and involved in some way with the importation of heroin from the Philippines, the New South Wales Royal Commission on drugs headed by Mr Justice Woodward has said. The commissioner said that Lord Tony Moynihan, who, he said, was a “shadowy figure” who resides in Manila, was an associate of Australian drug traffickers. References to Lord Moynihan in Debrett’s Peerage were contained in the commissioner’s final report to the New South Wales Parliament. Mr Justice Woodward said Lord Moynihan had connections with members of Sydney’s “Double Bay mob.” The commissioner said he concluded that Lord

Moynihan is, or was, in some way involved in, or assisting, the importation of heroin from Manila.

The Royal Commission was first set up after the murder in Griffith, a New South Wales country town, of an anti-mari-juana campaigner more than two years ago. It was ordered to be reopened last year by the New South Wales Premier (Mr Neville Wran) after allegations by the state Country Party leader, Leon Punch, concerning Daniel Casey, the Labour Deputy Mayor of the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt, and money from drugs and illegal gambling allegedly being channelled into the Labour Party. Allegations that SAust2o,ooo from drug trafficking and illegal gambling had been channelled into Labour Party

funds were dismissed by Mr Justice Woodward.

Although the commission also found there was no evidence linking Mr Casey with drug trafficking it refused to make a “favourable” finding for him.

Mr Justice Woodward was highly critical of Mr Casey’s business and his association with known drug dealers. It was also critical of the Labour member for the Sydney suburb of Balmain, Mr Roger Degen, and found that he had “deliberately lied and prevaricated” before the commission.

The judge said that any member of Parliament or local! government who met and drank with criminals in public places should find himself “unfit to be one of the state’s legislators and members of Government”

The report made no recommendation for criminal prosecutions but referred material concerning a hotel licence, a former bank manager, and a woman whose occupation was not given to the police and the AttorneyGeneral.

Material relating to Michael Seymour, a solicitor, who “lied on his oath,” according to Justice Woodward, was referred to the Law Society of New South Wales. Mr Justice Woodward reiterated his finding that there was no “Mr Big” controlling drug trafficking in New South Wales.

He said, he felt that “while I retain my scepticism I have a feeling that law-enforcement agencies have been too complacent about the involvement of conventional criminals in drug trafficking.”