CHARGES against prominent Border businessman Vyv Weatherall over an alleged attempted extortion were suddenly dropped yesterday.
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Reasons for the decision were not provided during a brief Wodonga Magistrates Court hearing.
But it is understood to be due to Mr Weatherall’s declining health — he is suffering from terminal cancer.
Charges against a co-accused, Wodonga man Darren Phillip Tucker, 28, were also withdrawn.
Mr Weatherall, 80, is the owner of Weatherall Masonry and former owner of Elgin’s Hotel in Wodonga.
He and Mr Tucker had been charged with two counts of extortion.
It was initially alleged that they arranged for former Albury man Jye Douglas Carter, 35, to threaten a Huon man to obtain property on November 21 last year.
The three men had been facing a two-day committal hearing, which was due to start in Wodonga yesterday.
Up to seven witnesses were to have been called.
The court heard previously that Carter, who still has a case to answer, was a member of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang.
Police had claimed the Huon man, 46, was confronted at his front gate as he drove in from the Murray Valley Highway.
It was further alleged that threats to assault and damage his property were made before he was punched through the open car window several times, causing facial injuries.
Wodonga detectives and investigators from Echo Taskforce, established to investigate bikie gangs in Victoria, arrested and charged Carter in Melbourne in January.
Carter was to appear for a plea hearing today on counts of recklessly causing injury, extortion with threat to destroy property and assaulting police.
The first charge was downgraded yesterday from one of recklessly causing serious injury, while a further three charges were dropped.
Mr Weatherall did not appear before magistrate Ian Watkins, though he did attend a hearing on April 10.
He was represented in court yesterday by his solicitor, Paul Robb.
Carter was bailed to reappear before Mr Watkins today.