Prosecutors have moved to drop 24 charges against independent MP Geoff Shaw and replace them with one new offence.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard that the matter of 24 charges had been resolved and that Mr Shaw would face a fresh charge of obtaining financial gain by deception over the use of a fuel card for $1250.
The prosecution has signalled they will not oppose diversion for Geoff Shaw on a single “rolled-up” charge.
Prosecutor Ray Elston QC said the single charge was representative of all of Shaw’s alleged misconduct.
‘‘It’s effectively three episodes but it covers a variety of uses of a petrol card,’’ he said.
A diversion allows offenders to acknowledge responsibility but avoid conviction.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg said he would need to see an agreed prosecution summary in which Shaw accepted responsibility for the offence.
Shaw’s barrister, Robert Richter QC, said Shaw’s hardware business was no longer operating.
The former Liberal-turned-independent has previously said he will ‘‘vigorously defend’’ charges over the alleged misuse of his taxpayer-funded vehicle and parliamentary fuel card for his hardware business.
A magistrate last month indicated he would grant Shaw’s application for summary jurisdiction, which keeps the matter in the magistrates court, therefore avoiding a jury trial.
