Overview
- Queensland prosecutors, who said Wednesday they would not proceed, saw the case dismissed by District Court Judge Anthony Rafter.
- Neil and Linda Brooks were overseas and not in court when they were formally discharged, and their lawyer said they were ecstatic.
- The 2017 charges traced to 2008 claims that the couple misled investors Glenn and Carole Melcheck into paying about $1.95 million for a 50% stake in a sports merchandise company.
- The pair faced a 2021 committal hearing and were committed to stand trial in 2023 after years on bail that allowed them to live abroad, including in Bali.
- The defense argued in 2022 that flaws in the allegations meant a jury could not lawfully convict, and under Australian procedure a withdrawn prosecution ends the case without a verdict.