Shock after mum-of-four Haley Terei is exposed for 'blatant lie' about her heritage so she could skip jail after she was accused of pulling off high-end burglary

An alleged gun thief has been caught out exploiting softened bail laws after she ‘blatantly lied’ about being Aboriginal.

Haley Terei, 32, was granted bail in the Supreme Court of Victoria in May and June on eight charges related to a high-end burglary, The Herald Sun reported.

The mother-of-four is accused of stealing seven firearms, ammunition, $470,000 in cash, gold nuggets and other valuables from a home in Hastings, south-east of Melbourne, in December.

In an affidavit submitted to the court, Terei stated she was an Aboriginal woman of the Yorta Yorta nation and following her Aboriginal mother’s death when she was three, her cultural heritage had been 'whitewashed' by her father.

Terei’s bail was opposed by prosecutors, who argued she was an unacceptable risk to the community amid concerns she was aware of the location of the stolen firearms were hidden and could access them.

Justice Rita Incerti released Terei, citing new bail laws which require judiciary members ensure ‘incarceration rates of Aboriginal peoples are not further compounded unless there is good reason’.

‘This is by no means an easy decision.'

'However, when I look at Ms Terei, a woman who has been denied access to her cultural heritage, who is expressing a desire for cultural support to turn a corner in her life, and with significant personal struggles,’ Justice Incerti said.

In court on Friday, Terei’s claim of Aboriginality was revealed as a complete lie.

A tenacious police officer trawled through recorded phone calls she had made while in prison.

The calls revealed her mother is not Aboriginal or dead - and that she is very much alive and living in New Zealand. 

Terei’s bail was revoked with Justice Incerti describing the lies about her Aboriginality as ‘troubling’.

‘It is alleged that Ms Terei claimed her Aboriginality from her maternal line, knowing it was untrue, in order to have the Court consider section 3A of the Bail Act when she was not entitled to do so,’ Justice Incerti said.

‘The Arunta (prison) phone recordings provide strong evidence that Ms Terei is not an Aboriginal person and sought to gain some benefit in the bail application on the basis of identifying as an Aboriginal person.’

A warrant was issued for Terei’s arrest and she now faces a possible charge of perverting the course of justice, which carries a maximum 25-year prison penalty. 

In August last year, the Victorian government announced reforms to bail laws.

According to a statement from the premier Jacinta Allan's office, the reforms were designed to ‘make bail laws fairer for vulnerable and disadvantaged people, while continuing to take a tough approach to those who pose a serious risk to Victorians'.

The reforms addressed key recommendations of the coronial Inquest into the death in custody of Aboriginal woman Veronica Nelson in 2020 and the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria’s criminal justice system.

Opposition spokesman Michael O’Brien said he was not surprised criminals are exploiting the new bail laws.

'This case raises serious questions as to how courts and others are meant to apply laws intended for Aboriginal Victorians when it relies on the honesty of those claiming that ancestry,' he said.

Evidence of Aboriginality in bail applications is provided to the courts by affidavit, mostly based on the instruction of the accused.

Despite Terei allegedly manipulating the reformed laws, Justice Incerti maintained this remained an 'appropriate' system.

'I can see no reason why this should change or that an applicant or their legal representative should be required to do anything more than set out the basis of a person’s Aboriginality as was done in this case,' Justice Incerti said.