By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN who falsely reported to police he’d been raped and robbed on AFL grand final night was ordered to pay back the costs of a futile police investigation into his claims.
Adam Poulter, 33, of Narre Warren, allegedly told police that after an afternoon drinking session on 27 September, he remembered being driven by a friend to find prostitutes in Hallam.
Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told Poulter claimed that while out, he was knocked unconscious due to a blow to his head that night.
He woke up the next morning in the street with his pants down, underpants torn and wallet missing, he told police.
A friend’s statement to police contradicted Poulter’s claims. Poulter had slept on his couch that night, and played slot-betting games the next morning, the friend told police.
Late that morning, Poulter was captured on a bottle shop’s CCTV footage with the friend buying a four-pack of bourbon.
Poulter’s lawyer told court his client, who pleaded guilty, “simply cannot remember what happened on this night”.
He said Poulter was “profoundly deaf”, had his leg crushed in a work accident and was being treated for.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen questioned why Poulter maintained the lie when he claimed to have no recollection.
He said five police officers had spent 20 hours of fruitless investigative work on Poulter’s complaint – rape allegations in particular required a “serious and high-level response”.
Poulter was convicted, fined $2000 and ordered to pay $1546 costs to police.
