WA; Court told man on bail when he stole a car with baby inside

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2004
WA; Court told man on bail when he stole a car with baby inside

By Holly Nott

PERTH, Feb 10 AAP - A man who allegedly stole a car with a baby girl strapped inside
abandoned the vehicle before reporting on bail for a separate charge of car stealing,
a court heard today.

Fremantle Magistrates Court was told that although Scott Robert Neely, 27, visited
a police station directly after dumping the vehicle, he did not inform authorities of
the eight-month-old girl's whereabouts until after she had been found.

Wendy Rowe left her baby daughter Tilly in the car at a Fremantle service station about
3.20pm (WST) yesterday while she went inside to pay for petrol.

She has said she was gone for less than 30 seconds when her blue Holden Commodore was stolen.

The theft sparked a huge police hunt, including a police helicopter and tactical response
group officers, but the car was eventually found by a news cameraman at 5.30pm.

Tilly was hot and sweaty but unhurt when taken from the car.

Neely was arrested last night and charged with driving whilst suspended, stealing a
motor vehicle and committing an act likely to endanger the life of a child under seven.

After complaining he had not been aware of the charge of child endangerment, Neely
today made an application for bail.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Balcombe said it would be strenuously opposed.

Sgt Balcombe said Neely was already on bail for charges of stealing a motor vehicle,
stealing, and his sixth count of driving whilst suspended.

He said Neely had abandoned the car, walked to a police station to report on bail,
bought alcohol at a bottle shop and then caught a bus home to Kardinya before he thought
to contact police with the location of the stolen car.

"At 5.30pm he rang police and advised where it (the car) was but police had already
found it by then," Sgt Balcombe said.

He later added: "It was an absolutely irresponsible act, and he had a chance to redeem
himself ... but did not do so until the baby was found."

Sgt Balcombe said Neely, who gestured to his partner in the public gallery throughout
his brief court appearance, had a lengthy record and had already admitted to the charge
of driving while suspended.

The bail hearing was adjourned by Magistrate Michael Wheeler, with Neely remanded in
custody to appear in the same court on Thursday.

Outside court, Ms Rowe's partner Damian Staude declined to comment.

Earlier, Ms Rowe told Perth radio 6PR Tilly was doing well.

"She wasn't very grizzly at all. I just wonder what happened in those two hours," she said.

AAP hn/tma/de

KEYWORD: NEELY NIGHTLEAD

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