Complaint over key snatch by court guard

Lee Du Bray says his keys were snatched from him. Photo / Thinkstock

The Ministry of Justice is investigating a man's complaint that North Shore Court security staff "ran off" with his car keys so court officials could serve him with civil papers.

Lee Du Bray alleges the court staff acted outside their authority and has complained to the ministry.

The Australian resident was at the North Shore Court this month when he said he became aware there was a process server in the building trying to serve him civil legal papers.

"I was informed the documents could not be served in the court building and decided to stay upstairs [away from the process server]."

He was waiting upstairs when a security officer spotted him and "scuttled" downstairs to tell the waiting process server.

"The process server then appeared and I told the process server I wouldn't accept the documents."

Mr Du Bray then decided to "make a dash for the car" in the court carpark, and was "chased" by another security guard, he said.

"I made it to my car and then suddenly a court security guard who had been chasing me wrenched my car door open, snatched the keys from the ignition and ran off with them, giving the process server the opportunity to serve me."

Mr Du Bray has laid a complaint arguing the three security guards exceeded their job description.

"It's not their position to do that and I don't know why on earth they would take it upon themselves to do something like that."

A ministry representative confirmed the investigation but would not say when a decision was likely.

A process server, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the incident "doesn't look good". He said in order to legally serve papers, the process server has first to identify the man by asking him his name. At that stage, the person can refuse to accept service.

Second, the court manager had to give permission for legal documents to be served inside the court boundaries.

"How did the security guard know it was his car and it was him? They all get a bit cowboy."