Former Sydney detective charged with murder
Sydney – Even for a man immortalised on the small screen, former NSW detective Roger Rogerson endured the most dramatic of days.
The once-decorated detective had police thumping on the door of his Sydney home on Tuesday morning before ending the day behind bars, charged with the murder of university student Jamie Gao.
Rogerson, 73, appeared frail and dazed as he was frogmarched out of his suburban home in front of media in Sydney’s southwest.
‘‘We’re back to the Gestapo days now,’’ he said.
As he was pushed into a police car he complained about his bad hip and knee and said ‘‘on the advice of my lawyer, I’ve got nothing to say’’. He and fellow former policeman Glen McNamara have been accused of killing Gao in an alleged botched drug deal.
A day after police flew to Brisbane to track down Rogerson, detectives pounced on his home in Sydney’s southwest as he chatted with his lawyer Paul Kenny.
Rogerson was whisked away to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with murdering Gao, 20, and large commercial drug supply.
Police allege Gao took three kilograms of methamphetamine to a drug deal with Rogerson and McNamara in Arab Rd, Padstow, last Tuesday. Gao was then driven to a nearby location and murdered, they say.
His body, wrapped in a blue tar- paulin with chains binding the feet, was found floating in the sea off Cronulla on Monday.
Rogerson had been in Queensland on Monday for a speaking engagement, but Kenny said his client had agreed to turn up to Sydney Police Centre at noon on Tuesday.
Kenny was outraged by the surprise visit to his home by detectives. He labelled the police move an ‘‘absolute disgrace’’.
‘‘The way they spoke to Mr Rogerson was most unnecessary,’’ Kenny said. ‘‘He has been an experienced policeman, he is an older gentleman, as you know . . ‘‘He was treated like a dog. ‘‘I don’t know what television shows they have been watching but it’s obviously a flop.’’
Rogerson didn’t apply for bail, which Magistrate Elaine Truscott formally refused in court on Tuesday afternoon.
Kenny asked the magistrate for Rogerson’s ‘‘security to be looked at’’, and for orders to be made so he could access medication while in custody.
Outside court, Kenny wouldn’t commit as to whether Rogerson would fight the charges. ‘‘We’ll see when we get the brief of evidence.’’
Rogerson is due before Central Local Court on July 22, where he will appear by audio visual link.
McNamara, who was arrested on Sunday night and also charged with murder and large commercial drug supply, is also due to appear in court in July.