Bird free to leave Malaysia
Perth man Dominic Bird says he hopes to leave Malaysia some time today after beating serious drug charges yesterday.
The 34 year old was allowed to collect his passport early this afternoon and is now finalising visa arrangements which will allow him to leave the country.
Malaysian authorities have confirmed they will not lodge another appeal against his acquittal on drug charges that carry a mandatory death sentence.
It was the second time he had escaped the death penalty on charges of trying to supply an undercover police officer with 167 grams of methamphetamine.
Mr Bird was acquitted last September but re-arrested as he prepared to board a flight back to Perth following an 11th-hour appeal by prosecutors.
But he will not have to face the same scenario again, following a decision by the Attorney-General's office not to pursue the matter further.
“I wish to inform you that there shall be no further appeal for the case of Mr Dominic Bird,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Awang Armadajaya said today.
A member of his legal team had earlier said the 34-year-old had made a visit to a casino on Wednesday night, hours after the Court of Appeal upheld the original court's decision in September last year to acquit him.
It's unclear whether Mr Bird was set to fly home to Perth, although he indicated that would be his preference.
Asked if he was keen to head home on Thursday, he replied: “Wouldn't you?“
