Surprised
to find she was the registered owner of a Maserati Grandsport, a Porsche Boxter
and a Holden Captiva, the mother-in-law of a patched Head Hunter gang member
denied she was party to laundering drug money.
Justice Woolford dismissed money-laundering
charges against Lisa Marie Ryan, saying police had failed to prove its case
beyond a reasonable doubt. It is
possible to register a car in someone else’s name, without their knowledge.
Ryan’s daughter Victoria is married to
Michael Cavanagh, a Head Hunter gang member previously convicted of drug
dealing. Police allege he and Victoria
have amassed cash and assets in excess of three million dollars as the proceeds
of crime. Victoria pleaded guilty to
money-laundering charges in respect of an Audi Q3 registered in her mother’s
name. Ryan signed the purchase papers,
but said she only agreed to appear as the registered owner because of
difficulties her daughter’s husband was having in getting insurance. Ryan’s son Peter Shaw is currently imprisoned
after pleading guilty to charges of manufacturing and dealing in
methamphetamine.
The police allege Ryan was party to
efforts by Victoria and Michael Cavanagh to launder drug money with the
purchase of luxury cars and by arranging the rental of a storage unit in the
Auckland suburb of Parnell where a pistol and substantial amounts of cash were
found.
Justice Woolford ruled there was a lack
of direct evidence that Ryan was involved in money-laundering: she denied
knowledge of three of the cars registered in her name; had a plausible
explanation for the purchase of the Audi Q3; and there was no evidence that she
paid rentals for the storage unit or ever visited after renting it.
R.
v. Ryan – High Court (11.09.15)
15.103