Further appeal against extradition to N.Z.

Press, 26 December 1984, Page 2

Further appeal against extradition to N.Z.

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney A man charged with taking part in New Zealand’s biggest armed robbery is still being held in a Sydney jail after again appealing against extradition. Charles Thomas Willoughby has appealed against the decision of a Supreme Court judge who last week ordered that he be returned to New Zealand to face charges that, together with two other men, he robbed an Armourguard security van of nearly $295,000 in Birkenhead, Auckland on October 19.

Willoughby was arrested in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne on December 5 and charged in a Magistrate’s Court with taking part in the robbery.

Another New Zealander, David Francis Smaller, was arrested the same day and charged with receiving $43,000 from the robbery. He was extradited to New Zealand a week later. The extradition of Willoughby was also ordered but he appealed and that was heard in the New South Wales Supreme Court on December 14. A serious crimes squad detective from New Zealand, told the appeal hearing in Sydney that Willoughby had bought an air ticket for Smaller to go to New Zealand. On arrival, Smaller hired a car and drove to Puhoi, dug up the $43,000 buried in icecream containers, and deposited it in an Auckland bank from where it was transferred to Smaller’s

Sydney account, the hearing was told. The detective alleged that Smaller then gave the bujk of the money to Willoughby who deposited most of it in his own account. He said Smaller had subsequently confirmed Willoughby’s part in retrieving the money and he added that another man arrested in New Zealand and charged with taking part in the robbery had named Willoughby as an accomplice. Mr Justice Rex Smart last Tuesday again ordered Willoughby to be extradited, but gave him until last Friday to appeal. That appeal was lodged and a date for a new hearing will be set on January 14. Willoughby is being held in Sydney’s Long Bay prison.