City of Greater Geraldton v Wayne Glew: Man ejected from court gallery

Well-known litigant Wayne Glew is in another legal action with the City of Greater Geraldton as it attempts to dispose of personal property from the Glenfield house the City seized in lieu of unpaid rates.

About 30 people filled the public gallery at Geraldton Courthouse, with one man eventually ejected.

Proceedings began at 2.15pm today, with more than an hour of court time taken up as Mr Glew disputed Magistrate Chris Miocevich’s authority to hear the civil case.

Mr Glew cited several legal milestones including the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights, and said he had recently lodged an appeal to the House of Lords in England.

Representing himself, he also argued against the City of Greater Geraldton’s constitutional authority to tax and seize land, as it had done with his former home.

Mr Miocevich dismissed these objections after citing several legal judgments, mostly against Mr Glew who had been disputing his rates bills since 2005, and ruled that he had the authority to hear the case.

He then ruled against Mr Glew’s authority to issue documents jointly on behalf of himself and his former wife, whose signature did not appear on them.

“She told me on Christmas Day 2017 to do what I effing well like,” Mr Glew said.

“So you honestly take that as her authority to proceed on her behalf?” the Magistrate said.

Two witnesses were called.

City of Greater Geraldton rates coordinator Sandra Lee Russell under oath agreed she had issued three affidavits and issued rates bills for $146,000 and $285,000 to Mr Glew.

Mr Glew attempted to challenge her legal authority to do this, and the magistrate repeatedly reminded him he could only ask her to answer questions of fact.

Mr Glew then produced a document he described as a notice of seizure under clause 61 of the Magna Carta he said he had issued to the City.

The Magistrate rejected this.

“There is a requirement under the Act that notices must be sent and her evidence is that the notices have been sent,” Mr Miocevich said.

The rates coordinator left the court to calls of “coward” and “no b**ls” from the public gallery.

The second witness, Peter Smith, said the City had contracted him to produce an inventory of the personal belongings inside and outside the seized property in Chapman Road.

He said he had attended several times, once in the company of Mr Glew’s former wife, who placed her personal items on a verandah with the intention of returning to collect them.

However Mr Smith said the City advised him not to allow her to do so unless in his company.

“I wrote to her and when she did not reply I returned. The items had been thrown out into the rain, the wedding dress, the bikes, et cetera,” he said.

When cross examined by Mr Glew, Mr Smith said he had not cut a padlock.

“The first time I went there the padlock was cut and windows smashed,” Mr Smith said.

Mr Miocevich then adjourned the case until 2.15pm tomorrow, giving both parties the option of calling further witnesses or simply summing up their respective cases.

“I will hear evidence from both sides, I don’t expect to give a decision tomorrow,” he said.