Jurors must ignor even grave suspicion, says drugs trial barrister

Ellie Harvey
August 2, 2011

THE crown case at the drugs trial of the former NSW crime investigator Mark Standen does not stand up to scrutiny, his barrister has told the jury.

Mark Ierace, SC said jurors had to consider the evidence and not take into account suspicion, ''not even grave suspicion'', or speculation.

''You will be left with a reasonable doubt in respect of each count as to the accused's guilt,'' he said in the defence closing address in the NSW Supreme Court yesterday.

Mr Standen, 54, denies conspiring with the businessman Bakhos ''Bill'' Jalalaty and the drug trafficker-turned-informant James Kinch, between early 2006 and June 2008, to import pseudoephedrine, which is used to make the drugs speed and ice.

Mr Standen, the former NSW Crime Commission assistant director, has also pleaded not guilty to taking part in the supply of 300 kilograms of the substance and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The crown has alleged that he, Mr Jalalaty and Mr Kinch met in Dubai in January 2007 to advance their ''nefarious activities''.

But Mr Ierace referred to the ''very reliable'' evidence of Louise Baker, Mr Standen's lover, who accompanied him on the trip.

''The difficulty [in the crown case] was that she said Mr Standen was with her on that trip for 99 per cent of the time,'' he said.

Mr Ierace said if there was a conspiracy at that stage, ''it did not involve the accused''.

Mr Ierace also said that secretly taped conversations between Mr Jalalaty and Mr Standen should not be relied on because the two were not always truthful with each other.

Mr Ierace will contine his closing today.