Baggaleys’ trial jury fear
COURT security has been beefed up in the drug-smuggling trial of ex-Olympian Nathan Baggaley and his brother after one juror claimed to have been followed by a man after leaving court.
Jurors have been sent home early to consider if they can remain impartial in deciding the accuseds’ fate.
Addressing the jury on Friday on the sixth day of the Supreme Court trial, Justice Ann Lyons told them to take the weekend to consider if they could remain impartial after revelations a juror “believed they were being followed” on Wednesday night as they left the building on George Street in Brisbane’s CBD, allegedly by a man who had been “staring” at the jury from the public gallery.
“If for any reason any of you feels that because of what has occurred you can’t be completely impartial and be seen to be completely impartial, I would like you to write me a note and indicate that,” she said. “As I understand it, those concerns were shared among the jury, so you are all aware of those concerns.”
Justice Lyons said it would be appropriate to discharge any such juror and told the court the issues raised by the jury were “concerning” and the court was investigating them.
She said an investigation had been launched to view CCTV footage of the path the juror took from the courthouse to nearby Roma Street train station.
Justice Lyons told the jury several jurors also felt a group of young men in the public gallery was intensely staring at them “for extended periods” during evidence by key prosecution witness, boat skipper Anthony Trevor Draper, this week.
She asked the jury if they could give the court bailiff a note revealing the time the juror believes they were followed, a description of the man allegedly following, and the route taken.
She also told the jury there would be “greater security” when they left the courthouse, and it would continue next week to ensure they felt safe.
Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley and his brother, Dru, have pleaded not guilty to attempting to import $200m of cocaine into Australia.
On Friday Dru claimed he was effectively kidnapped and forced to motor 360km out to sea to smuggle what he later learned was cocaine after the skipper threatened him. The Tweed Heads oyster farmer, 39, told the court he refused to board a boat with his friend, Mr Draper, 56, a former fisherman, who had “turned” on him and made threats.
“If we miss this thing then you are f..ked, you’re dead, your family is dead, you are coming out to sea whether you like it or not,” Dru said Mr Draper told him. The case returns to court on Monday.