Magistrate slams police in Mansell case

A Perth magistrate has vented his frustration over the police handling of the case
of Cameron Mansell, who has been charged with the murder of millionaire Craig Puddy.
Mansell faced Perth Magistrates Court for the first time on Friday in what was meant
to be a short appearance but problems with police paperwork stretched the matter out
for the entire day.
The 38-year-old sat in the dock turning side to side with his chin up wearing the
same clothes he arrived in at Perth's Jandakot Airport on Thursday after being
extradited from Queensland.
West Australian police prosecutors told the court they had left the original
prosecution notice in Townsville, where Mansell was held after being arrested in
rainforest north of the city on May 25.
They said they could only produce a duplicate dated June 3.
Prosecutor Brent Meertens said a Townsville magistrate had "directed or ordered" the
original prosecution notice to be attached to the warrant.
Magistrate Robert Laurence criticised the decision, saying the original prosecution
notice should have stayed with WA police.
"Why it went to Townsville in the first place is ridiculous," he said.
Mr Laurence later exclaimed: "This goes on and on."
Mr Meertens asked in "the interest of justice" for the court to accept a copy of the
original prosecution notice which was faxed from the Townsville court registry.
"It's a serious matter involving the most serious offence known to the law," he said.
Mr Laurence replied: "That's why one would have thought the paperwork would be here."
He rejected the faxed copy saying it was certified by a person who could not certify
it in the state of WA and he ordered a copy be faxed from within the state.
Mansell's lawyer Phillip Urquhart slammed the police handling of his client's case,
telling the court it was just another problem in a series which had arisen during
the matter.
"It begs the clearly simple question as to why the detectives involved and
investigating did not ask for the original prosecution notice back as soon as the
extradition matter concluded and had it in their hands on their well-publicised
flight yesterday," Mr Urquhart said.
"The blame solely lies with the police in this matter."
Mr Laurence eventually accepted a freshly faxed copy of the prosecution notice until
the original could be obtained and will re-hear the matter on Tuesday.
Outside court, Mr Meertens agreed Friday's proceedings did not look good for police
but said officers had acted in good faith in trying to follow correct procedure.
"I don't want to blame anyone, people have been acting in good faith ... believing
that was the right thing to do."
Friday's procedural mix-up is another embarrassment for West Australian police, who
were unable to initially extradite Mansell from Queensland after a warrant was
deemed invalid by a federal magistrate in Townsville.
WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan admitted a police officer had failed to sign
a page of an attached affidavit.
A warrant for the bar manager's arrest had been issued on May 14, nearly two weeks
after Mr Puddy disappeared from his luxury Mount Pleasant home in Perth's south.
Mansell had been questioned by police after his four-wheel drive was found burnt out
in a pine plantation only days after Mr Puddy went missing.
After he was released without charge he managed to evade police surveillance and
flew out of WA under a false name, sparking a two-week nationwide manhunt.
Mansell will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on June 8.