Solicitor Geoffrey Booth had 'no idea' a $5 million bribe was to be paid to corrupt ex-prosecutor Warwick Reid in return for providing a statement which could help his client, a jury was told yesterday.
Booth, 45, chairman of the Law Society's criminal law and procedure committee, said he had tried to dissuade Reid from seeking a financial reward.
'I told him we could not recommend any sort of arrangement of a financial nature at all,' the lawyer said.
'I told him my first duty was to the court and if I suspected there was any sort of arrangement behind my back or anything of that nature I would not accept it.
'My position as an officer of the court was paramount and I would not be involved in any deception of the court,' Booth said.
Asked if he had known that Reid was to be paid $5 million, the lawyer said: 'I had no idea at all until I was told by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.' Booth pleads not guilty to acting in a way which was intended to pervert the course of justice.
It is alleged that he knew Reid had been paid to provide a statement for use in the appeal of a convicted fraudster and concealed this from the court.