A Flinders woman accused of buying a luxury car worth over $170,000 with the proceeds of her then-boyfriend's alleged drug-dealing operation has been cleared of the crime.
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Alison Vieira, 28, faced a hearing at Wollongong Local Court in August after pleading not guilty to knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Police had alleged that her partner at the time, Daniel Bojlevski, used $104,000 he gained through a drug-dealing operation to help Ms Vieira purchase a $173,300 Mercedes Benz GLE 53.
The criminal proceedings against Bojlevksi have not yet resolved: he has not pleaded to the commercial drug supply charges he is facing, nor have the allegations against him been proven.
But Ms Vieira gave evidence to the court that she paid for the Mercedes herself.
She said there was a limit on the amount she could pay from her own account, so she transferred money to Bojlevski to pay the dealership so she could acquire the car faster.
Ms Vieira said that her grandfather, for whom she was carer, gave her money.
During the hearing she also told the court that she earned about $2000 a week through her nail salon, which included cash-in-hand payments.
Her mother also gave evidence that Ms Vieira was the apple of her grandfather's eye and he delighted in giving her money to see her smile, and while she was not aware of the precise amount he had given her, it was large.
Ms Vieira told the court that Bojlevski - with whom she was in a relationship for about six months - told her he owned a concrete business but she did not take much interest in it.
She maintained she was not aware that Bojlevski was an alleged drug dealer.
In delivering his decision on Friday, Magistrate Robert Walker said the prosecution did not refer to any other grounds for suspicion regarding the money other than the fact Bojlevski had been charged with drug supply.
Magistrate Walker also said the prosecution did not produce any records of the vehicle purchase, instead relying on records from Bojlevski's phone.
He referred to a message from Ms Vieira to Bojlevski in which she said: "I can get my own money and I will buy the car for myself", which she sent in relation to another vehicle Bojlevski was going to purchase for her.
Magistrate Walker also pointed to a message that the prosecution relied on as evidence that Ms Vieira knew about Bojlevski's alleged illegal activities, in which he said he was going to get "mauled" by police.
But the magistrate said this appeared to refer to Bojlevski's purchase of a Lamborghini and how the expensive vehicle could draw the attention of police.
Magistrate Walker said he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Ms Vieira had transferred the money to her then-partner for the purchase of the Mercedes, and the property was not the proceeds of crime.
The charge was dismissed.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
