NT Police admit caution may be mistaken identity

NT Police caution

NT Police admitted a formal caution issued to federal MP Luke Gosling for allegedly breaching bail conditions may have been mistaken identity.

“NT Police have admitted photos appearing to show Labor MP Luke Gosling in "potential breach" of his bail may instead show a "doppelganger"”

Bail conditions

Luke Gosling faces two charges of assaulting NT Administrator David Connolly at a Thai festival in July and is subject to strict bail conditions preventing him from coming within 15 metres of Connolly.

Photos sent to police

Court documents show Sue Brosnan emailed photos purportedly showing Gosling at the Boatshed cafe in Cullen Bay on September 1 to police.

Sergeant Hutchinson's email

Sergeant Hutchinson wrote that Connolly and Brosnan reported seeing Gosling at the Boatshed cafe at 8:20am on September 1, claiming he moved to a table over 15 metres from Connolly.

“Mr Gosling initially sat at a nearby table with a female acquaintance... he looked in the direction of the administrator and appeared to recognise him... he then moved to a table located more than 15 metres from the administrator”

Gosling's response

Defence barrister Marty Aust SC emailed that Gosling was engaged in school drop-off at 8:20am on September 1 and could not have been at the Boatshed cafe.

“He was not present at the Boatshed at any time on [September 1], at 8:20am that morning he was engaged in school drop-off”

Sergeant Hutchinson's clarification

Sergeant Hutchinson admitted the photos may show a doppelganger and offered to withdraw the caution if evidence proved Gosling was not at the Boatshed cafe.

“That said, i am certainly open to being corrected, it may well be that mr gosling has a doppelganger in darwin... i am more than happy to have the caution withdrawn”

Defence evidence request

Defence solicitor Megan Donahoe sought summonses for CCTV footage from Gosling's children's school and a Darwin hotel to prove he was not at the Boatshed cafe.

“If that was the case, it would demonstrate that the complainant and his wife mistakenly identified another person as mr gosling”

Prosecutor's concern

Prosecutor Joanne Poole said pre-trial reporting could prejudice the fair trial but would not object to media viewing the photos once they were public.

“There is a strong public interest in this matter and there is a concern that any pre-trial reporting of this matter be kept to the minimum to avoid any prejudice”

Next steps

Gosling's case is scheduled to return to court this month for a hearing on assault charges after prosecutors withdrew a separate August charge.