Ex-jockey, former lawyer alleged to have stolen Chanel costume jewellery
Champion jockey Daniel Nikolic, 50, and former lawyer Patrick Lennon, 61, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday over the alleged illegal entry of a home in Carlton in January.
Charge sheets alleged the pair broke into the property at 2am while in possession of a ladder, gloves and a torch, stealing 'multiple bags of jewellery' worth $177,000 and a Toyota HiLux.
The pair are yet to enter pleas, and both face three charges; trespassing with intent to steal, stealing a HiLux, and having a ladder, gloves and a torch for use in a burglary.
Both men appeared by video link on Thursday following chaotic scenes outside court at their last appearance.
Mr Lennon's lawyer, Stephen Adrianakis, revealed the valuables in question were Chanel costume jewellery.
Mr Adrianakis expected the jewellery to be worth about $50,000, far less than the prosecution estimates, and asked for an adjournment so the prosecutors can meticulously itemise the goods.
'We need to come to a sensible valuation,' he said.
The defence lawyer also flagged he and Mr Nikolic's lawyer were taking 'significant' issue with the police's evidence chain of custody.
'If this were a drug case where the drugs were allowed to be left at the property and handled by the complainant…,' Mr Adrianakis began, before being cut off by the magistrate.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington requested the public prosecutor provide an item-by-item glossary of photos and invoices for each allegedly stolen item by August 24.
The magistrate gave the defence lawyers four weeks to take those price estimates to their valuers, and the matter was scheduled to be recalled on September 23.
Mr Nikolic rode a winner to claim the prestigious Caulfield Cup in 2003, plus a host of elite first-grade winners in the 1990s and 2000s.
A former lawyer, Mr Lennon was arrested with more than 10 grams of methamphetamine in his bag but avoided a conviction in 2024 on the possession charge, being placed on a good behaviour bond.
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