Police report stalls trial of West Papuan 'rebel' Gerard Michael Little

A GRANDFATHER and would-be West Papuan rebel is waiting on an Australian Federal Police forensic computer report before his case can progress through the courts.

 

 

Gerard Michael Little was arrested at Brisbane airport in December, before boarding a flight to Papua New Guinea, and was charged with two rarely used criminal offences: preparing for hostile incursions into foreign states and training for such hostile acts.

At the time, the court was told the 45-year-old Victorian disability pensioner had run a West Papuan freedom Facebook page and had received military-style training in Eastern Europe.

He was denied bail and has remained in custody since.

In a brief mention of the case in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today, defence solicitor Lauren Phelps, of Fisher Dore lawyers, said she had received the majority of the prosecution brief against her client. Ms Phelps said she had received instructions from Mr Little but they were waiting for one "outstanding statement" to be delivered by the Commonwealth.

 

Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer Aimee Aisthorpe said it was a computer forensic report.

"The AFP have indicated it will only take another two weeks," she said.

Magistrate Judith Daley adjourned the matter until March and said Mr Little did not need to appear. He was not in court today.