Chapter 14 argyle - State Law Publisher

FINAL REPORT
DENIAL OF RODDAN DRUG LINK
It has been alleged that police officers deliberately misled Argyle as to whether Roddan had
ever been suspected of involvement in drugs. If this had occurred, it is said to be indicative
of an attempt corruptly to deflect attention away from Roddan.
Corfield and Burton attended on Scott in July 1991, in order to pass on information which
connected Roddan with drugs. Scott remembers sending for Detective Sergeant Wayne
Barnes, who was in the Drug Squad at the time. Barnes told him that Roddan was not
known to the Drug Squad. He added that he would not expect Barnes to say in front of
Corfield if Roddan was known, as it may have been confidential operational information.
Barnes recalls being told by Corfield that a person by the name of Rae-lene Shore could
supply direct information as to Roddan’s involvement. Scott then asked Barnes if he knew of
Roddan, and Barnes told him that he did not. Scott then asked Barnes to carry out an
inquiry into the information that had been supplied. Barnes said in evidence at the Royal
Commission that he had not heard of Roddan prior to this. He said that his role at the Drug
Squad was supervisory and administrative, and that he would not have been aware of all
the intelligence that was coming from BCI. The relevance of this is that there did exist some
intelligence information at that time that suggested that Roddan was involved in drug
dealing.
Barnes and Detective Sergeant Paul Ferguson, who was also attached to the Drug Squad,
subsequently interviewed Shore. She stated that she had never seen Roddan with any
drugs and that she did not know of any dealing in drugs. After speaking with Shore, Barnes
concluded that there was no merit in what he had been told by Corfield and Burton. Barnes
said that he subsequently advised Scott that there was “nothing in it”. Barnes admitted that
he had not checked databases for the purpose of ascertaining if there was any existing
intelligence on Roddan. Nor did he recall asking for anyone else to check intelligence
databases for this purpose.
Corfield’s recollection of the meetings differs from that of Scott and Barnes. Corfield said
that he told Scott that he had come across some information about Roddan and did not
want to compromise any police operational activity. Corfield stated that Scott told them
there was no operation in progress and that Roddan was not suspected of anything.
Corfield said that when Barnes attended, Scott said to him, “[y]ou don’t know this bloke,
Roddan, do you Wayne?” and Barnes replied “[n]o boss”. Barnes then left. Corfield stated
that Barnes was not told about the information that he had come across. Burton’s evidence
accords with this.
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