Two men accused of stealing high-performance engines and transmissions from Holden’s Elizabeth plant have gone on trial.
The ABC reports that former Holden employee Jason James Gangell, 40 has pleaded not guilty to 179 charges and his co-accused Robert Bolger, 43 has also pleaded not guilty to 74 charges.
According to the Australian, the District Court was told that Gangall allegedly allowed a courier to steal the car parts between September 2010 and September 2011.
The court heard that Gangell then sold to parts to Bolger, a motorcycle stunt rider and drift driver; and that Bolger then sold them through his company, Stuntrider.
Prosecutor Peter Longson said Gangell received bank deposits of about $470,000 from Bolger and kept them in three separate accounts, under his own name, his partner’s name , and his two-year-old son’s name.
"This trial centres on a large series of financial transactions that were conducted by each of these two accused during a 12-month period from September 2010 to September 2011," the court heard.
"The issue for you to decide in this trial … is what was the state of mind each of the accused when they entered into or engaged in the transactions for which they are charged."
Defence lawyers told the jury key issues in the trial are whether the parts were actually stolen and whether the men knew the parts had been stolen.
Bolger's lawyer Grant Algie told the jury his client did not dispute that he bought the parts from Gangell.
"The first thing you will need to critically evaluate at the end of your deliberations is whether the evidence establishes beyond reasonable doubt that any particular item of property is actually stolen," he said.
Image: SA Police