Bushfire car claim: Couple in court

Updated November 7 2012 - 2:50am, first published August 13 2009 - 11:25am
ACCUSED: Geoffrey and Christine Pearson are on bail.
ACCUSED: Geoffrey and Christine Pearson are on bail.

A CENTRAL Victorian couple accused of pocketing cash from cars promised to Black Saturday survivors will face court again in October.Geoffrey Pearson, 55, and his wife Christine Pearson, 48 faced Bendigo Magistrates Court briefly this week.The pair, who are on bail, successfully adjourned a contest mention for their charges for eight weeks.Both face multiple counts of theft of a motor vehicle and obtaining property by deception.At a bail application in May, police said they would allege Pearson put a call out to good Samaritans following the devastating Black Saturday bushfires.It is alleged he asked for cars to be donated with promises those vehicles would go to people who had lost everything.About 40 cars were donated.Police allege four cars were donated to victims, but only after a local welfare agency approached the Pearsons asking if cars were available.Other cars are alleged to have been sold on eBay and through private sales. Some were allegedly sold to wreckers for cash.Yesterday, Mr Pearson also successfully applied to have bail conditions amended.Instead of daily reporting, he will now be required to report to police four times each week.He and his wife will reappear on October 6.

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