Daniel Wood: Nutrien livestock agent denies charges linked to WA’s biggest alleged cattle rustling bust

The livestock agent linked to WA’s biggest alleged cattle rustling bust has pleaded not guilty to five charges of alleged money/property laundering and will now go to trial in District Court. Daniel Wood is alleged to have used his position as a stock agent to sell stolen cattle. Mr Wood, who is represented by prominent pastoral lawyer Emma Salerno, entered the plea at Carnarvon Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He is next due to appear for a trial listing hearing before the same court on November 5. WA’s Rural Crime Squad has been investigating the theft of about 800 cattle worth $803,000 as part of Operation Topography. Mr Wood, a Nutrien livestock agent, is the second of eight people — so far collectively charged with a total of 68 offences over the alleged cattle rustling bust — to enter a not guilty plea. The first was Joshua Abbott, who was working on a cattle station close to where some cattle were stolen. He has been charged with two counts of alleged stealing and one of alleged property laundering, and is due to appear at Carnarvon Magistrate’s Court on September 6. The West Australian can also reveal a 49-year old Moora man was charged with one count of possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property, and recently received a spent conviction. The man, who The West has chosen not to name, has links to the transport company Sponghaul Transport, owned by Clinton and Emma Spong, who were also charged with a series of offences relating to the alleged cattle heist. Clinton Spong was charged with three counts of property laundering and engaging in an offence, one of receiving and one of attempting to pervert justice. His wife, Emma Spong, has been charged with allegedly being an accessory to an indictable offence. The couple founded Sponghaul in 2009, specialising in grain and livestock transport. Their work includes transporting cattle for pastoralists in the Pilbara. Richard Arends and his partner Rachael Third, of Edmund Station in the Upper Gascoyne, face the lion’s share of offences. Mr Arends has been charged with 24 offences, ranging from alleged stealing and property laundering to permitting an unlicensed person to possess a firearm/ammunition, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He is due to appear at Carnarvon Magistrate’s Court on October 4. Ms Third, who recently gave birth to the couple’s second child, faces 18 charges, ranging from stealing to property laundering and attempting to pervert the course of justice. She is due to appear at Carnarvon Magistrate’s Court on August 23. Also charged over the alleged bust is Steven McDowall, who faces five counts of allegedly stealing as a servant and five counts of alleged property/money laundering. He is due to appear at Perth Magistrate’s Court on September 29. Police have collected evidence including extensive phone intercepts, financial statements, and cattle transport records, a source close to the investigation has revealed. Police said Operation Topography investigations would continue until all known criminal networks were disbanded.