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Prosecutor, lawyer charged over alleged corruption as magistrate faces court

South Australian magistrate Bob Harrap leaves court after appearing on deception charges.

South Australian magistrate Bob Harrap leaves court after appearing on deception charges. Photo: AAP

A South Australian police prosecutor and criminal lawyer have been charged with corruption offences alongside Adelaide magistrate Bob Harrap, it can be revealed.

Magistrate Harrap and lawyer Catherine Moyse – principal solicitor at CJM Legal – appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with perverting the course of justice.

The magistrate is also facing additional deception charges.

Police prosecutor Abigail “Abi” Foulkes and another woman – whose identity has been suppressed – did not appear in court.

ABC News sought comment from SA Police about the status of Ms Foulkes’s employment but received a statement stating it was “not the authority involved in this matter and as such cannot provide any further detail”.

Given all three women were reported for the offences, they were not required to attend.

The court was told that Ms Moyse appeared voluntarily.

Magistrate Harrap has been accused of twice racking up traffic fines in his government-issued car, misrepresenting who was driving and perverting the course of justice in relation to a matter he presided over.

He was assigned to the Christies Beach Magistrates Court in Adelaide’s south when he was charged and will not sit on the bench until his court case is finalised.

The alleged offences took place in May and he was charged by the state’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption last week.

All four co-accused will be back before the court later in July.

magistrate adelaide court

Catherine Jayne Moyse (centre) is one of three co-accused along with Magistrate Bob Harrap. Photo: ABC

In a statement last week, anti-corruption commissioner Bruce Lander said Magistrate Harrap had been charged with two counts of deception and one count of conspiracy to commit abuse of public office.

He has also been charged with conspiracy to attempt to “obstruct or pervert the course of justice or due administration of the law”.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in May 2020.

Mr Lander previously said the investigation was ongoing and anticipated that other charges might be laid.

-ABC

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