Jailed detective gives the thumbs-up

By Les Kennedy

Date May 4 2002

 Last moments of freedom ... Ray Peattie walks to the Downing Centre before he was sentenced yesterday for taking bribes. Photo: Nick Moir

Corrupt Manly detective sergeant Raymond John Peattie was jailed for four years last night for accepting bribes from other corrupt police on the northern beaches who allegedly robbed or extorted money from criminals.

The former crime manager at Manly station was sentenced to a total of eight years' imprisonment, but District Court Judge Michael Finnane found Peattie warranted a substantial discount in his sentence because he had not only admitted his guilt but been honest and provided fresh evidence on other corrupt police.

The 46-year-old father of five children from three marriages would be eligible for parole in one year, Judge Finnane ordered.

Wearing a dark blue suit with white shirt and red tie, Peattie at first stood ashen faced as Judge Finnane detailed how he had succumbed to corruption during his 24 years' service. He said Peattie had admitted to acts of fabricating evidence against criminals which was not "noble cause" corruption but perverting the course of justice.

After being told he would be eligible for parole within a year, Peattie turned to a small band of supporters at the back of the court -including a number of uniformed officers and detectives - and offered a half-hearted smile and a thumbs-up signal with his right hand.

Peattie, who resigned from the Police Service last year, is the first officer to receive a prison sentence arising from evidence at the Police Integrity Commission's inquiry into corruption in police ranks on the northern beaches.

Peattie was charged with four counts of accepting bribes totalling $1600 from other alleged corrupt officers at Manly police after raids on the homes of four alleged drug dealers between May and December 2000.

Judge Finnane said Peattie had not been on three of those operations but took the money when offered it instead of reporting the officers, as was his duty.

Judge Finnane said he believed Peattie had been honest in his accounts, unlike other corrupt police he had seen as counsel during the Wood Royal Commission into Police Corruption.

Judge Finnane said Peattie had also made a public apology in writing to all NSW Police and had also made a video with ABC journalist Chris Masters detailing how he became corrupt, and that would be shown to all police including recruits.