Cross-dressing policeman Peter Karras caught out by officers

The Green Valley cops are a choice lot. Read this

A CROSS-dressing police officer was caught alone in his car in a black ladies G-string, bra and six-inch high heels while committing an "offensive act", a court heard yesterday.

With his uniform on the back seat, off-duty constable Peter Karras, 51, of Green Valley, thought a dark and secluded Punchbowl street, in western Sydney, was the perfect place to put on women's clothing and touch himself. But two officers patrolling the area spotted Karras about 10.40pm.

Documents tendered to Burwood Local Court yesterday revealed Karras was wearing a black ladies G-string that exposed his penis, as well as a black bra, several gold necklaces and matching bracelets and six-inch high heels.

The officers also found his police uniform and police-issued gun belt on the back seat of his car, the court heard.

Karras was charged with behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and pleaded guilty in Burwood Local Court yesterday.

He was convicted and fined $500 plus court costs. A police spokesman said Karras had served as a constable for six years.

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NSW police tardiness meant bashing accused granted bail

A MAN accused of bashing another over the head with a sandwich press, leaving him unconscious, with possible brain injury and needing to be revived, has been granted bail because police took too long to lay charges.

Django O'Hara was serving a 15-year prison term for murder when he allegedly attacked former kickboxer Adam Watt, who was on remand on drugs charges in Silverwater jail, on October 1, 2009. The attack was captured on CCTV but Mr O'Hara was released at the end of his sentence in March 2010.

It was not until October 2010 that police issued a warrant for his arrest over the attack, and he was charged in November, when police were notified he had been admitted to hospital with five stab wounds.

The warrant states police believe he has connections with bikie groups, is the suspect in an unrelated crime in Kings Cross and had threatened to kill Mr Watt and his family members, but it appears this information was not presented during the bail application.

Mr O'Hara is charged with wounding causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder Mr Watt.

Last Thursday, Magistrate Janet Wahlquist found there were exceptional circumstances why Mr O'Hara - a repeat offender facing a serious offence where there was a presumption against bail - should be granted bail. "The primary factor really is the delay in charging [him]," the Parramatta Local Court magistrate said.

She said Mr O'Hara had "made a life for himself" since leaving jail; was needed by his father, who was suffering a terminal illness; had committed no major offences since his release, and had restricted access to facilities to prepare his case in jail.

Mr O'Hara, who represented himself, told the court: "I was released six months [after the alleged attack] which allowed me to get on with my life after 15 years in custody."

A spokeswoman for the Director of Public Prosecutions and police said they were reviewing the decision to grant bail.

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Magistrate dismisses charges against teens because investigating Queensland cop was too slack to check committal hearing date

Slackness one expects from the Qld. wallopers but failure to present the case SEVEN times??

A MAGISTRATE dismissed charges against two teenagers accused of being part of a rolling street brawl-home invasion after finding the investigating policeman was "too slack" to get witnesses to a committal hearing today. An angry magistrate Chris Callaghan refused a police application to adjourn the committal hearing and discharged the two teenagers.

The teenagers, who are now 18 but were juveniles at the time, were allegedly involved in a street fight at Cleveland, in the bayside region, in November 2009. The fight later spilled over to a nearby house where up to eight teenage boys were involved.

In the Magistrates Court in Brisbane, the pair were to face a two-day committal hearing from today in which nine witnesses were listed to appear. However, Mr Callaghan was asked to adjourn the hearing because none of the witnesses were at court.

He refused the application and said it appeared the investigating officer had been too slack to check his computer and see the committal hearing was listed for today. Mr Callaghan said the matter had been adjourned on seven previous occasions and today's committal hearing had been set down three months ago.

He said the teenagers were charged in March last year and in the interests of justice they were entitled to have the evidence against them heard in a timely fashion. Likewise, it was the victims right to be able to give their evidence in a timely way.

Mr Callaghan refused the application and ordered the committal proceed. Police then offered no evidence and Judge Callaghan struck out the charges and discharged the teenagers.

He also ordered that his reasons be recorded and provided if the teenagers were recharged and a stay proceeding was brought by their lawyers.

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