Breaking News
The rugby star The Olympian The handgun The pill press And the cash
Rebecca Woolley
18 April 2008
Scott Miller
THE father of former swimming champion Scott Miller yesterday urged him to fight drug charges that have sent shockwaves through the sporting world after police uncovered an alleged ecstasy-making racket on the northern beaches.
Mr Miller was charged along with Mark Catchpole, the son of rugby union legend Ken, after Northern Beaches police raided a storage unit at Brookvale believed to be rented by Mr Miller's mother. Police found a pill press capable of making up to 27,000 pills an hour and a professional tablet counter.
Manly-born butterfly swimmer Mr Miller, who won a silver and bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics, was arrested after a raid on his Dee Why home where police allegedly found steroids and capsicum spray.
Officers also searched the Seaforth home of Mr Catchpole, 40, and charged him with a catalogue of drug and firearm offences.
During the raid police allegedly found tablets believed to be ecstasy, powder believed to be speed, cannabis, ice and cocaine, a loaded gun and $224,000 in bundles of $50 and $100 notes.
Mr Miller's father Barry said he was yet to talk to his son but wanted him to fight the charges.
``The first I heard about it was on the news. I rushed in and tried to call him but he is not answering the phone. I expect he's inundated," Mr Miller said. To Page 4
``I haven't spoken to him, but if I did, I'd advise him to fight the charges.'' Mr Miller was bailed to appear before Manly Local Court on May 7.
The swimmer went to Elanora Heights Public School and Narrabeen High School, and was a nipper with Warriewood Surf Club. He represented Australia at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and the 1996 Olympics.
Mr Catchpole remained in custody last night, with his next court appearance on Tuesday in Central Local Court via video-link. He did not appear in Manly Court personally yesterday and his lawyer Ian Rolfe did not apply for bail.
Leaving court yesterday Mr Rolfe said his client was in ``good spirits'' before heading into Manly Police Station to meet with him.
A luxury car remained parked in the driveway of Mr Catchpole's harbourside Seaforth house as family members gathered at his father's Frenchs Forest house, where there was a hint of some normality with cleaners arriving just before 2.30pm.
An unidentified woman who answered the door politely declined to speak to The Manly Daily, saying: ``We appreciate you being here but there will be no comment from the family.
Ken Catchpole played 27 matches for Australia, 13 as captain before his retirement through injury in 1968 and has a medal named after him - which his son won twice during his playing days with Sydney University and Warringah Rats.
Mr Miller's Richmond Ave unit also seemed to be empty yesterday afternoon, with no one answering the buzzer at the high-security complex. Many neighbours were unaware it was the former swim star who had been arrested.
One resident said she had just moved from the Gold Coast and thought the raid had been staged for a movie or television show.
A man in a neighbouring block said he did not realise the significance of the arrest until he saw a TV news flash. ``We saw some cops in the street but because it is Dee Why, you see cops around here all the time,'' he said.
Mr Catchpole is charged with possessing a tablet press and a .32 calibre revolver containing five Smith and Wesson bullets.
Police allege Mr Catchpole ``had in his possession'' ecstasy tablets, 274g of cannabis, 52g of methylamphetamine powder, which he also allegedly supplied.
He also faces a charge of ``knowingly dealing with the proceeds of a crime'' relating to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and possessing three glass ice pipes.
Mr Miller is charged with possessing a tablet press, possessing a prescribed restricted substance and an offensive weapon which relates to the capsicum spray.
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