Mansell extradition to Perth approved

The man suspected of murdering Perth millionaire Craig Puddy has been extradited
from Queensland and is due to face a West Australian court on Friday.
Queensland Magistrate Howard Osborne ended a week of legal wrangling in Townsville
on Wednesday when he ruled that a warrant for Cameron Mansell's arrest - issued by
WA police - was valid.
Mansell, a former business partner of Mr Puddy, fled Perth in mid-May after being
questioned by police for 15 hours.
Mr Puddy, 45, disappeared from his Mount Pleasant home in Perth's south on May 3 and
police are still searching for his body.
Mansell, 38, was arrested last Tuesday when police found him camping rough in Paluma
National Park, north of Townsville.
Mansell was flown from Townsville in a WA police aircraft late on Wednesday afternoon.
He was to have a one-night stopover in Alice Springs before returning to Perth on
Thursday.
His extradition followed a week of legal argument over the validity of extradition
paperwork.
Mansell's legal team successfully argued the first arrest warrant issued by WA
police was invalid because it didn't lay out a charge and two pages of the affidavit
weren't signed.
A second warrant was issued and approved.
Solicitor Kevin Kitchener argued on Wednesday for Mansell to be released on bail and
make his own way to Perth, but Mr Osborne ordered he remain in custody.
"We wanted the court to consider an application that he be extradited while he's on
bail," Mr Kitchener told AAP.
He said Mansell was expected to be charged with murder when he appeared in the Perth
Magistrates Court on Friday.
WA police and SES volunteers on Wednesday continued to search bushland north of
Perth for Mr Puddy's body after a wheelie bin missing from his luxury home was found
there on Sunday.
Mansell's burnt-out Jeep Cherokee was found - just days after Mr Puddy was reported
missing - in a pine plantation about 15km from where the bin was found.
Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts said the state's police had done an
excellent job in apprehending Mansell.
"They were working on the basis of warrants issued from Western Australia," Mr
Roberts said in a statement.
"From a Queensland policing perspective they have acted very professionally and
diligently and got this fellow into custody and he's now being returned to WA."
Earlier on Wednesday, WA Premier Colin Barnett criticised the WA police operation
saying "this case has not gone well from the start".
Mansell was due to face the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday on a drink-driving
charge.
A warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear.