By Cam Lucadou-Wells
FOUR people accused over the alleged throwing of a Molotov cocktail at police in Cranbourne North are facing a new charge that puts them in front of the Victorian County Court.
Matthew Butler, 29; John Vave, 29; Angie Christdou, 26; and Kylie Blythman, 20, appeared briefly in separate video-link hearings at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 29 November.
The co-accused now face an additional serious indictable charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by attempting to destroy a stolen Audi Q3 “by way of arson” on 11 November, the court heard.
According to the charge, police were in the process of seizing the vehicle as evidence.
The charge laid on 28 November took the hearing out of Dandenong Magistrates’ Court into the County Court jurisdiction, the court heard.
On 11 November, the four co-accused were allegedly involved in a high-speed police pursuit in Melbourne’s south-east after the unignited Molotov cocktail was hurled.
They were arrested when the vehicle allegedly hit a garden bed in Hampton Park.
Butler and Christdou were charged with recklessly endangering life by driving a vehicle at high speeds and changing drivers while driving in Hallam on the same day.
Other charges include recklessly endangering life and attempted arson by throwing a Molotov cocktail – a 750mL vodka bottle of petrol – at a police officer next to a police vehicle.
The four were also charged with receiving two stolen number plates and stealing a $40,000 Nissan Navara.
All were remanded for a filing hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 5 December.
