Fine Cotton jury to resume today

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 8

Fine Cotton jury to resume today

NZPA-AAP Brisbane The jury in the Fine Cotton horse substitution case is expected to resume consideration of its verdict this morning. The District Court jury retired yesterday afternoon to consider charges against three men of conspiring to defraud the public. A horse trainer, Hayden Thomas Haitana, aged 38, of Elizabeth Fields, South Australia; a company director, Robert Roy North, aged 33, of Wellers Hill, Brisbane; and an electronics technician, Tom Di Luzio, aged 36, of Sunnybank, Brisbane, have all pleaded not guilty. They are charged with conspiring with John Patrick Gillespie between May 1 and August 19 last year to defraud the public by affecting by deceit the result of a race conducted by the Queensland Turf Club.

The Crown alleges the three men conspired over the ringing-in of the better performed Bold Personality for Fine Cotton at Eagle Farm racecourse on August 18 last year. The three were to spend the night in custody after the jury retired, after being on bail during the sevenweek trial. after more than a week of final addresses and Judge Loewenthal’s summing-up, the jury retired to consider its verdict about 2.50 p.m. yesterday.

Later Judge Lowenthal told the jury they would be lodged in a hotel for the night and could return with a verdict any time after 10 a.m. today. The Crown alleges the three men conspired over the ringing in of the better performed Bold Personality for Fine Cotton at Eagle Farm racecourse on August 18 last year. The three were to spend the night in custody after the jury retired, after being on bail during the seven week trial. After more than a week of final addresses and Judge Loewenthal’s summation, the jury retired to consider its verdict about 2.50 pm today. Later Judge Lowenthal told the jury they would be lodged in a hotel for the night and could return with a verdict any time after 10 a.m. tomorrow.