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spinex
24th Jan 2017, 23:21
Apologies if this has been dealt with elsewhere, I've been away doing Summer type things and search didn't disclose anything. Anyhow this little gem just crossed my desktop..... ; Operation Oscar-Demotic ? alleged tampering of aircraft, Mount Isa - Mount Isa (http://mypolice.qld.gov.au/mountisa/2017/01/25/operation-oscar-demotic-alleged-tampering-aircraft-mount-isa/)

LostProperty
24th Jan 2017, 23:53
I guess it's not the first time something like this has happened but potentially more dangerous in aviation than trucks, flash cars, boats etc.


Pilot sabotaged engines in rival planes: police (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/pilot-sabotaged-engines-in-rival-planes-police-20170124-gty77d.html)

prospector
25th Jan 2017, 00:08
Is that just a random photo or the person in question?

continueapproach737
25th Jan 2017, 00:12
it is disappointing people go to these lengths, but it is more common then we know!

ruddegar
25th Jan 2017, 01:11
No Cookies | Townsville Bulletin (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/police-claim-mount-isa-pilot-put-contaminant-in-fuel-tanks/news-story/0cb77693ceb1901be3344aea45c37c32)

The Townsville Bulletin has some more details on the charges. If found to be true - absolute scumbag.

tail wheel
25th Jan 2017, 01:15
The investigation also uncovered evidence relating to the alleged grievous bodily harm of an aircraft engineer at Charters Towers in July of 2014. As a result of this incident, a man aged in his 60s sustained permanent and life-changing head injuries. Investigators are appealing to anyone who may have further information relating to this incident to come forward.

The attack on Denis Behan?

The company is a significant player in the western commercial travel market and it is believed VIPs, including politicians, may have flown with Hoch at times from 2012 to 2016 when he is alleged to have been unlicensed.

The arrest poses serious questions about rural airport security and will plunge the Civil Aviation Safety Authority into crisis as police and officials probe what the authority knew or should have known about the claims against Hoch.

2012 - 2016, four years no pilot license or four years no AOC? I wonder what CASA were doing in those years?

Biggles_in_Oz
25th Jan 2017, 01:17
Mount Isa detectives have charged a 31-year-old man with 342 offencesObviously a high achiever in his chosen field.

Bull at a Gate
25th Jan 2017, 02:58
Very scary indeed!

Pilot sabotaged engines in rival planes: police (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/pilot-sabotaged-engines-in-rival-planes-police-20170124-gty77d.html)

FPDO
25th Jan 2017, 04:17
Yeah Prospector it is him as outback GA operators here wear hats n bars...............................


Otherwise the Flight Centre Skipper is doing a quick cashie for the papers.............

NAMPS
25th Jan 2017, 04:26
Sounds like a tosser.

AbsoluteFokker
25th Jan 2017, 05:00
Not possible - he had an ASIC!

YPJT
25th Jan 2017, 05:04
Not possible - he had an ASIC!
I'll bet he doesn't now.

wallysworld
25th Jan 2017, 06:11
CASA issued him with an AOC on 08/12/16 https://www.casa.gov.au/search_aoc/Hoch%20, even after they say they were 'assisting the police with their enquiries' since October 2016!:ugh:

Desert Flower
25th Jan 2017, 06:43
Aviation experts found "abrasive material" applied directly into engines

Errr like what?

DF.

De_flieger
25th Jan 2017, 07:03
I heard like sand (allegedly).

kaz3g
25th Jan 2017, 07:57
Hopefully attempted murder might be in amongst those many charges along with conduct endangering life.

Kaz

Duck Pilot
25th Jan 2017, 08:19
Lock him up and chuck the key away, we don't need people like this in the industry and society.

What this guy has allegedly done requires some hard punishment if he is proven guilty.

tail wheel
25th Jan 2017, 09:09
AOC Issue Date: 08/12/2016

AOC Expiry Date: 31/01/2020

Four year AOC - he must have been good!! And despite being in custody, his AOC is still current? I guess he also holds a current ASIC?

So what is the media allegation of 2012 to 2016 "no licence" (sic)???

morrismini1100
26th Jan 2017, 08:05
he also operated a business called the flying fitters previously. Reports also say he was using glass beads and oil to contaminate the fuel. I met the guy once, the Baron in the photos was apparently a $750k rebuild, had to pay for it someway....apparently this is the answer.

onetrack
26th Jan 2017, 09:04
How did this clown get bail, when facing 340 charges, including GBH?? He should be inside, as of right now. :(

continueapproach737
26th Jan 2017, 11:25
i think we will see more come out of this and from a regulatory front

The Wawa Zone
26th Jan 2017, 15:45
342 charges ?! Its amazing he had time to sleep.

And CASA 'didn't know' :D

Horatio Leafblower
26th Jan 2017, 23:53
i think we will see more come out of this and from a regulatory front

A new section of the CASRs detailing the procedure for adding glass beads to engines?

...or a 5-year transition period in which all operators must publish a Glass Bead Management System, including Glass Bead-in-engine awareness training, Glass Bead Management officers, Glass Bead reporting officers, and a Glass Bead review Officer.

All new Glass Bead management personnel must have 10 years industry experience in the Glass Bead management arena in an aviation context, or a Master's degree in Aviaiton management with a major in Crochet and a responsible Service of Alcohol certificate.

Failure to inplement a Glass Bead Management System is an offence of strict liability. Penalty: 500 penalty units.

kaz3g
27th Jan 2017, 01:10
Where does it say he got bail? What I read had him remanded in custody.

Kaz

onetrack
27th Jan 2017, 01:38
Kaz, the article I read on the News.com.au website says he was bailed.

Qld pilot charged with sabotaging aircraft (http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/qld-pilot-charged-with-sabotaging-aircraft/news-story/6c7fa2943786c7a5fce762191e070212)

EDIT: The article in the Brisbane Times enlarges on the bail issue. Hoch was granted bail on $50,000 surety - but it appears he is unable to post it, and it looks like neither any of his family nor any of his remaining friends are prepared to post surety for him, either - so it does appear he's going to remain in custody.
I agree with the prosecuting Sgt who opposed bail, stating that Hoch is a major flight risk from Australia (not just the State) - and the penalty on 5 of the charges he's facing, is life imprisonment for each charge.
I would trust he gets it, if the charges are proven.

Queensland pilot Josh Hoch granted bail once he supplies surety (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-pilot-josh-hoch-granted-bail-once-he-supplies-surety-20170125-gtypsd.html)

clark y
27th Jan 2017, 02:55
Is this associated with the "Cessna looses wing?????" thread?


http://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/573416-cessna-looses-wing.html

RatsoreA:
"Confirmed it happened at charters towers, wind strut bolt removed, fairings refitted, folded up over the cabin at about 25 knots GS on TO roll. Being treated as a deliberate act by persons currently unknown."

aroa
27th Jan 2017, 04:40
Some interesting comments re this "saboteur" in todays Oz.

If you thought CAsA was occassionly dysfunctional, imho..I think this proves they are just normally super dysfunctional.!


Rest assured there will be much over time burnt in cobbling up a CYA 101 major excuses out of the Fort.
Its the CAsA way.

westhawk
27th Jan 2017, 18:06
Just read about this in Avweb this morning. I know we have a few rough characters in aviation, but if the allegations are true, this guy would take the cake. Shame he can't be punished in Texas!

kaz3g
28th Jan 2017, 08:45
Kaz, the article I read on the News.com.au website says he was bailed.]

I confess I'm rather surprised that bail, even with surety, was granted in all the circumstances. Clearly his "friends" know him better than the bench.

Kaz

Pinky the pilot
28th Jan 2017, 09:03
Take him out behind the Engine overhaul shop for a frank exchange of views!:ooh:

kaz3g
28th Jan 2017, 09:45
Having just read a lot more about the alleged offences and the circumstances in which they occurred without obvious intervention by the Regulator, it seems to me there has never been greater justification for a commonwealth crime and corruption commission.

kaz

tail wheel
29th Jan 2017, 01:15
Kathryn's Report: Call for urgent report on pilot Josh Hoch (http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2017/01/pilot-sabotaged-engines-in-rival.html)

troppo
29th Jan 2017, 02:35
342 counts over 3 years. On average, about once every 3 days. The defence lawyer is going to have a hard time convincing anyone it was an isolated event. :}

Duck Pilot
29th Jan 2017, 02:52
Does CASA have the authority to assess an AOC holders financial viability at any given time?

Don't see FOIs out hiding behind trees in remote locations these days either, aren't they allowed out of their air conditioned den?

tail wheel
29th Jan 2017, 03:17
Does CASA have the authority to assess an AOC holders financial viability at any given time?

Yes, and they tried that for awhile. The problem was no one could fairly interpret a set of accounts, even their external consultants. They must also be extremely careful in delving into financial records as the Act prohibits CASA regulating on an economic basis.

On average, about once every 3 days.

There was not 342 individual, separate acts. Most individual acts resulted in multiple offenses.

wishiwasupthere
29th Jan 2017, 03:23
I'm no lawyer, so excuse my ignorance, but are these charges that have been bought upon this character criminal charges separate from any potential breaches of the Civial Aviation laws?

Can the police charge a person for breaches of civil aviation laws, or is it possible that further charges will be bought upon by CASA?

And playing devils advocate for the moment, is it possible that CASA was instructed to continue as 'ops normal' in thier dealings with this guy whilst the police investigation was happening in the background? Its going to be very interesting how this story pans out.

morrismini1100
29th Jan 2017, 03:36
[QUOTE=tail wheel;9656919]They must also be extremely careful in delving into financial records as the Act prohibits CASA regulating on an economic basis.

@tailwheel: this hasn't stopped them in the past! So will be interesting to see what are charges are laid under the Aviation Safety Regulations and. What are under the criminal code

tail wheel
29th Jan 2017, 03:37
And playing devils advocate for the moment, is it possible that CASA was instructed to continue as 'ops normal' in thier dealings with this guy whilst the police investigation was happening in the background?

Renewing an AOC of a known felon is not "ops normal". The Act prohibits CASA "facilitating" illegal acts during the investigation. It would be the same as the Cops lending a robber a gun so he could be caught committing further illegal acts.

CASA admits they knew he operated "without a licence" between 2012 and 2016 (what ever that means) and other illegal acts including aircraft overloading but took no action and renewed his AOC for four years in December 2016, two months after it has been confirmed they were involved in the investigation.

No doubt CASA owes Australia a detailed explanation?

morrismini1100
29th Jan 2017, 03:44
Renewing an AOC of a known felon is not "ops normal". The Act prohibits CASA "facilitating" illegal actions during the investigation. It would be the same as the Cops lending a robber a gun so he could be caught committing further illegal acts.

CASA admits they knew he operated "without a licence" between 2012 and 2016 (what ever that means) and other illegal acts including aircraft overloading but took no action and renewed his AOC in December, two months after it has been confirmed they were involved in the investigation.

No doubt CASA owes Australia a detailed explanation?

Seems like the minister is now involved too:

No Cookies | Townsville Bulletin (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/call-for-urgent-report-on-pilot/news-story/38fbcf038be3a35fac7ec06d4f1a23d8)

The Wawa Zone
29th Jan 2017, 03:48
Sabotage of aircraft ? Probably more common than most people think. I once found 3 x more water in one wing tank, of an aircraft I was flying daily, than I had ever drained before or after. The cap and seals were in good condition.

tail wheel
29th Jan 2017, 03:50
morrismini1100. That site is protected by a pay wall and can't be accessed.

morrismini1100
29th Jan 2017, 04:41
morrismini1100. That site is protected by a pay wall and can't be accessed.

Here it is:

Call for urgent report on pilot

CHRIS McMAHON, Townsville Bulletin
January 28, 2017 12:00am

A FULL review into how North Queensland pilot Josh Hoch, 31, got away with his alleged offending for so long has been ordered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Federal Transport Minister Darren Chester has also called for an “urgent briefing” from CASA into the explosive case of alleged plane tampering in Mount Isa.

Josh Hoch, 31, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Mount Isa and charged with 342 counts across 14 offences, including tampering with aircraft, dangerous operation of aircraft and fraud, allegedly committed from 2013 through to 2016.

Mount Isa Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that Hoch had allegedly tampered with his competitors’ planes on five different occasions to win commercial contracts and had flown members of the Katter Australia Party around North Queensland, including Bob Katter spending $257,000 on chartering flights with Hoch.

Mr Chester yesterday asked the country’s aviation watchdog for a report into all aspects of the case and investigation against Hoch.

“Given the serious nature of the allegations I have requested a full report from CASA and an urgent briefing on all aspects of the investigation,” Mr Chester said.

“With legal proceedings underway, I’m not in a position to comment any further at this stage.”

A CASA spokeswoman said they had launched their own review into the dealings they have had with Hoch, their investigative process and auditing process.

“CASA has launched an internal review to determine whether any significant safety-related issues involving Mr Hoch and the operations of Hoch Air were, or ought to have been, identified and acted on prior to launch of the police investigation and the arrest of Mr Hoch,” the spokeswoman said.

“We are currently reviewing our records to inform such safety-related action as we may need to take now, and to ensure the integrity and sufficiency of our entry control, audit and surveillance activities. Should we need to, we will look more closely at any aspect of our regulatory functions should additional attention be required.”


The spokeswoman said CASA needed to have evidence to act on, rather than unsubstantiated claims of actions.

“It is important to remember that, like any other regulatory authority, CASA is only able to act on evidence that tends to show there has been a breach of the regulations, not on unsubstantiated claims of such conduct,” she said.

“It would be premature for CASA to comment further on this at this time.

“We will not comment on the criminal allegations against Mr Hoch.

“These are matters before the court and any questions should be directed to the prosecutorial authority.”

Hoch walked from Mount Isa watch-house yesterday after posting the $50,000 surety he failed to produce when given bail on Wednesday.

tail wheel
29th Jan 2017, 07:59
No Cookies | Townsville Bulletin (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/mount-isa-pilot-accused-of-254k-mp-fraud/news-story/28d7afc6cd3d29504b0fe997a8f659b3)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/Woomera/PPRuNe/Katter_zpsqsi5eyix.jpg

Mount Isa pilot accused of $254k MP fraud

HUNDREDS of thousands in taxpayer dollars may have been paid to alleged fraudster Josh Hoch, with a court hearing Kennedy MP spent $257,000 on chartered flights with the pilot.

Prosecutor Sergeant Vaughan Cooper yesterday detailed Mr Katter’s expenses with Mr Hoch, at his bail application for more than 300 offences.

“The offences the defendant faces are serious, not only those five offences (tampering with aircraft), but also the offences of fraud,” Sgt Cooper said.

“Your honour will note the defendant using, without accreditation, aircraft to fly the honourable Bob Katter without the correct accreditation.

“Allowing him to pilot and receive payment for these charters and that will be alleged your honour is some $257,000 and I do round that down.

“The case against the defendant regarding those matters is strong.”

Bailed Mount Isa airman

According to documents from the Department of Finance, Mr Katter claimed more than $53,000 on chartered flights in the first half of 2016 alone.

The Kennedy MP is given a large travel allowance, particularly for charter flights, to traverse a massive electorate that is bigger than some countries.

Mr Katter would not comment when contacted by the Bulletin over the charges against Koch.

“As this matter is now before the courts it would be inappropriate to comment,” he said.

Senator Ian Macdonald said he would take up industry regulation concerns with Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester.

“I will certainly be following this up with the Transport Minister … I’m quite confident he has already been briefed but this is clearly a matter for the police and CASA investigators to report to him with any recommendations of any new regulatory action,” he said.

“I’m very curious in this instance how this has not come to their attention previously … CASA should have been leading the charge rather than police.”

CASA plunged into chaos

Herbert MP Cathy O’Toole said it was necessary to look further into the current level of oversight after the arrest of Hoch.

“Questions need to be asked, and answers provided, about what officials did and did not know,” she said.

“How can this happen surely needs to be the question. The real issue is that we have absolutely no certainty that incidents of this nature are not falling through the gap.”

Interesting observation - If you know the article heading, Google seems to be able to by pass the pay wall?

IcePaq
29th Jan 2017, 21:25
That pilot is a flight risk.

onetrack
29th Jan 2017, 22:38
And once again, the Australian bail system shows up its major deficiencies. A person charged with multiple charges, several of them with life imprisonment as the potential sentence, and with numerous charges being attempted murder on a repeated basis, is allowed to roam freely, with the only restriction having to report to a police station daily.
What is to stop him from carrying out more attempted murder? He could decide he has little to lose and could easily carry out another Colin Richard Forman style of attack on his competitors.

Jetstarpilot
29th Jan 2017, 23:40
Geeze that Mt ISA sun is strong..... that bush jock sure looks wetherbeten for 31:eek:

LostProperty
30th Jan 2017, 00:35
The guy is a bad egg and deserves more than he will possibly get but I think the Townsville Bulletin is drawing a long bow in suggesting that he is guilty of defrauding the government of 254K. Presumably he operated the flights for which he was paid notwithstanding he was improperly licensed and Katter, being the local member, may well have engaged him for no other reason than he was a local operator running an apparently legitimate, local business.

601
30th Jan 2017, 05:33
I think the Townsville Bulletin is drawing a long bow in suggesting that he is guilty of defrauding the government of 254K

Fraud: deceit, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

kaz3g
30th Jan 2017, 06:11
Without wNting to appear precious or pedantic, can I suggest this guy and his lawyer are probably monitoring any discussions about the case which might be argued as prejudicing a right to a fair trial or even contempt of Court.

It's good practice to talk about someone "appearing" to be of a particular character type and discuss their "alleged offences" rather than categorising them as fact.

I've now pulled my head in.

Kaz

jenesaisquoi
30th Jan 2017, 21:56
@onetrack actually he's not roaming free. The court set bail at $50,000, which wasn't raised, so the alleged offender remains incarcerated precisely because the court considered him a flight risk.

Wezza
30th Jan 2017, 23:26
The attack on Denis Behan?
Correct.

Should go for attempted murder IMO.

onetrack
31st Jan 2017, 03:24
jenesaisquoi - The information I read, provided by the news media, was that the $50,000 bail request wasn't posted by the close of the court on Wednesday 25th January - thus leading to Hoch staying in jail overnight - but the $50,000 was posted by his family on Thursday 26th, and he has been released on that bail.

See the last paragraph in this article below ...

Call for urgent (CASA) report on pilot (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/call-for-urgent-report-on-pilot/news-story/38fbcf038be3a35fac7ec06d4f1a23d8)



Behind a pay wall.

To access the media article Google: Call for urgent (CASA) report on pilot

Tail Wheel

Metro man
1st Feb 2017, 02:13
The fact that he is "charged with" rather than "found guilty of" limits the action that can be taken until the matter is finalised in court.

Charges relating to terrorism wouldn't be to far of a stretch given the potential consequences of an aircraft crashing in a populated area.

CASA have previously been deficient in dealing with rouge operators such as Barry Hempel, but I can't believe they would turn a blind eye if they knew of deliberate sabotage.

Lead Balloon
1st Feb 2017, 19:47
Rouge operators are usually tolerated. But if they start with the mascara "to" ...

5179
10th Feb 2017, 23:30
"CASA have previously been deficient in dealing with rouge operators such as Barry Hempel, but I can't believe they would turn a blind eye if they knew of deliberate sabotage."

casa have a looong history of "Questionable conduct", their access to unlimited funds protects them .....period.
Very, very rare occassions they quietly "settle" :mad:

morrismini1100
30th Apr 2017, 11:25
has anyone heard what the outcome of this is? Seems to have gone quiet

mcoates
29th Aug 2017, 03:58
From the interweb... Why isn't CASA all over this one and have him in Jail/Goal already ?

An outback Queensland pilot accused of tampering with planes and causing permanent head injuries to an engineer has also been charged with fraud.
Josh Hoch, 32, and a 34-year-old woman will face Mount Isa Magistrates Court on Wednesday over allegations they dishonestly gained a benefit while running a Charters Towers aviation business.
The pair were allegedly involved in conducting illegal charter services between 2012 and 2016.
These charges are the latest laid by police during a long-running investigation into the company.
Earlier this year, Hoch was charged with 342 offences relating to his conduct in the aviation sector.
He is accused of tampering with planes at Mount Isa Airport, inflicting grievous bodily harm in the form of head injuries on an aircraft engineer, and endangering the safety of people in a vehicle.
A 24-year-old man from Mount Isa and a 64-year-old Charters Towers man were also charged earlier this year in relation to the investigation.
Police are appealing for anyone with information about the alleged grievous bodily harm in July 2014 to come forward.
Officers would also like to speak to people who were at the Doongmabulla Airstrip when the nose wheel of an aircraft collapsed on August 17, 2014.

Hasherucf
29th Aug 2017, 05:54
I'm sure they had a ASIC .... so its fine

megle2
29th Aug 2017, 08:17
There's a old thread on this running somewhere on PP

advo-cate
31st Aug 2017, 01:54
More information:

Serious breaches of Civil Aviation Act by Josh Hoch « Assistance to the Aviation Industry (http://vocasupport.com/serious-breaches-of-civil-aviation-act-by-josh-hoch/)

akaSylvia
26th Oct 2018, 12:18
Wasn't the court case to be beginning of this year?

Chocks Away
26th Oct 2018, 16:02
Nothing new.
It's been going on for decades.
My Cessna 210 was sabotaged in the early 90's in Darwin by competition back out in Arnhem Land.
Federal Police called, persons found culpable and many fingers pointed but no prosecution so, much like the Aussie Labour socialists & "Democrats" of the USA... plenty of damage caused and costs, but no apologie or accountability from the guilty parties but yet reputations sullied! Pathetic and disgraceful. Karma!
Sound familiar in Australia?

Bend alot
26th Oct 2018, 23:02
Was that a gear selection sabotage Chocks?

TailWheelup
27th Oct 2018, 02:44
The last news item of April 11, 2018
Quote:" In August of last year the prosecution was given eight weeks to detail which evidence applied to which charges, to allow Mr Hoch to understand what crimes he had been accused of.

Eight months later, the defence team still does not have a clear way to navigate the 49,000 plus pages of evidence. "

Has anyone got any news? When the prosecution can't deliver disclosure or, when the disclosure is extremely large and indecipherable it generally means the charges were trumped up.

Then his lawyer says
"Mr Hoch’s lawyer said the was “not one scrap of forensic evidence trying Mr Hoch to the charges” and the case was “circumstantial”.

I can't recall a similar case where a pilot was charged with so many offences and the defense lawyer says "they don't have a scrap of forensic evidence".

There was supposedly a court date of June 13, 2018, Does anyone know what happened?
Is this story subject to some kind of publicity ban?

Sparrow_start
30th Oct 2018, 02:25
With respect to Josh Hoch, a trial has not occurred.
Everyone deserves the presumption of innocence.
CASA, to their rare credit, has not made the leap
into the unknown of treating him as guilty of
"police charges" many of which one would expect
to be laid by Federal Police and not State police.

Now that said, its well known that birds of a feather flock
together, there have an attraction to each other.

Without drawing conclusions on the innocence or guilt of
Josh Hoch, Bob Katter is a in polite terms, a scoundrel.

Katter is now promoting "gun rights", that is seeing an ever increasing
number of guns getting into the hands of the mentally ill.

Its now only a matter of time till we see more American style
tragedies in Australia, thanks to the likes of Bob Katter.

Who is Bob Katter using now for his charters?

It's a long time since I flew in that neck of the woods.

SCPL_1988
27th Mar 2019, 05:33
Would anyone have any news on the Josh Hoch case?
When I checked on google, there does not appear to be an
entry for a year or so.

master_beta
28th Mar 2019, 08:20
Would anyone have any news on the Josh Hoch case?
When I checked on google, there does not appear to be an
entry for a year or so.

Still nothing...
I did see a drilling company in Charters Towers were looking for a baron driver to fly his baron not long after his arrest.

advo-cate
17th Mar 2020, 23:08
FINALLY, ON FEBRUARY 5TH 2020 action.

Josh Hoch case goes to District Court « Assistance to the Aviation Industry (http://vocasupport.com/josh-hoch-case-goes-to-district-court/)

District Court in Mt. Isa on 16th September 2020. NOT GOOD ENOUGH if this really involves aviation safety.

tail wheel
17th Mar 2020, 23:22
I spoke to someone very directly involved this week and he advised a September trial.

Apparently there are so many charges the amount evidence and documents is huge.

I understand his family lost their home and property funding his defense so far.

aroa
18th Mar 2020, 09:54
Big stink from within the TVL office?. Now closed. Oh dear... any paperwork gone “astray”as a result.?
September might throw up something.
Nothing surprises with CAsA and it’s corrupt machinations.
Their involvement and/ or lack of it , in this should bring on a Judicial Inquiry.

minger
8th Mar 2021, 05:15
ABC News today;

North Queensland man's charges of interfering with planes, sabotage of planes dropped in Supreme Court

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/800x400/1615184060_3254921da584603a0259e85dfce6a2bacf109a9f.jpeg


A North Queensland pilot accused of tampering with his rivals' fuel tanks has had charges of interfering with planes and associated sabotage of planes dropped in a Supreme Court sitting in Mount Isa.
Key points:

Charges against former pilot Josh Hoch of tampering with the fuel tanks of a plane have been dropped in court
The jury was dismissed after one week of a trial expected to last for three
The prosecution dropped the case as it was officially concluded there was not sufficient evidence to prove it was Josh Hoch who had committed the alleged acts

Josh Hoch was 31 when he was charged with numerous offences including plane tampering, fraud, falsification of documents and other aircraft related offences in 2017.

Today Justice James Henry dismissed the jury after one week of the trial, which was expected to last three weeks.

Justice Henry told the jury in the first five minutes of today's sitting that the Crown would not continue to prosecute the charges relating to interfering with planes and associated sabotage.

"The short version is the case has been dropped," Justice Henry said.

He told the jury that because they had been sitting on the case for a week, he would explain the particulars of the change.
Three 'critical layers' in caseJustice Henry outlined three "critical layers" of the case which the jury had been tasked to decide upon.

The first was if the contaminants in the fuel tanks had been there as the result of human intervention, the second was if it was done as a deliberate act of sabotage, and the third was if it had been Josh Hoch who had committed the alleged acts.

Mr Henry said it was the third that "was always the prosecution's real challenge" and that they also had to prove motive, opportunity and that he had knowledge that only the offender would know.

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, the prosecution put up the white flag and has dropped the case," Justice Henry said.

"It has been officially concluded, it was not sufficient to pursue a case."

Mr Hoch has further charges proceeding in the District and Magistrates courts.

Link;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-08/josh-hoch-supreme-court-charges-dropped-plane-sabotage/13226466

SCPL_1988
8th Mar 2021, 05:59
This case turned out exactly as I predicted.
Now to wait for the true story to be told.

tail wheel
8th Mar 2021, 23:24
There is still the assault charges in Charters Towers to be heard? I thought he was also charged with flying without an appropriate license?

Truth Seeker
11th Mar 2021, 19:44
There were never any assault charges nor has his family lost their home and property. Not sure where you are getting your incorrect information from
??