A BENDIGO man accused of being involved in an aggravated carjacking has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
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Aaron Burzacott, 39, and his co-accused Christopher Llewellyn, 33, fronted the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Tuesday for a committal hearing.
The pair have each been charged in relation to an alleged carjacking in Carisbrook on March 1 this year.
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But the committal was adjourned to allow Mr Burzacott's defence time to consider the new charge.
The 39-year-old's lawyer, Nelson Brown, told the court the prosecution only laid the perverting the course of justice charge on Monday, a day before the committal was due to take place.
Mr Brown said the defence was given a 200-page transcript of alleged conversations Mr Burzacott had while in custody for the carjacking charge.
The prosecution alleged the conversations showed Mr Burzacott was trying to make the alleged victim change his story.
Mr Brown said the defence was not given time to consider the evidence and decide whether they would contest the charge or plead guilty.
Perverting the course of justice holds a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The lawyer said the late filing of the charge was inappropriate and unfair to his client, and it went against the proper court procedures.
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Prosecutor Thomas Crouch conceded that the charge was filed late, but submitted that the defence were notified of the evidence on December 9.
Mr Crouch said the prosecution wanted the charge to run alongside the aggravated carjacking offence in a committal hearing.
Mr Llewellyn's lawyer Nicholas Rolfe said while his client was not facing the perverting the course of justice charge, it was important that the co-accused's cases were heard together.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh said it seemed like the prosecution filed the charge "incredibly late", which could be prejudicial for Mr Burzacott.
Mr Huynh said the only appropriate course of action was to adjourn the case to give Mr Brown time to consider the evidence and speak to his client.
The case was adjourned to a committal hearing in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court next month.
Mr Burzacott and Mr Llewellyn were both remanded in custody.
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