Charges against John Lomax to be dropped

The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions will drop charges against CFMEU organiser and former rugby league player John Lomax at his next court appearance.

The construction union is welcoming a decision to drop blackmail charges against one of its Canberra organisers, John Lomax.

The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions plans to offer no evidence against the former rugby league player when his case returns to court on October 19.

The move means Mr Lomax is entirely vindicated, CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said in a statement.

Lomax was charged with one charge of blackmail in July by a police taskforce connected to the trade union royal commission.

Court documents allege he made an "unwarranted demand with menace" to a Canberra subcontractor, wanting him to sign an enterprise bargaining agreement with the CFMEU in 2014.

"We argued from the outset that Mr Lomax was doing nothing other than advocating higher wages for the union's members - which is in fact his job," Mr Noonan said on Thursday night.

Lomax's arrest harmed his reputation and had been upsetting for his family, the secretary added.

The CFMEU will seek answers from the police as to why they pursued the organiser.


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Source: AAP



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