Wollongong City Council manager Peter Coyte and Sydney developer Lou Tasich aired bribery allegations against each other to the same confidant, a court has heard.
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Former Wollongong councillor Frank Gigliotti yesterday told Sydney's District Court both Tasich and Mr Coyte complained to him about alleged inappropriate behaviour by the other one.
Tasich is facing three charges of lying to the Independent Commission Against Corruption over his allegations against Mr Coyte and the timing of when he aired those allegations.
Mr Gigliotti yesterday told the 12-person jury that Mr Coyte had warned him to "stay away from Lou" during a Property Council of Australia Illawarra event at City Beach Function Centre in early May, 2007.
"Peter Coyte said to me, 'Stay away from Lou, he tried to bribe me'," Mr Gigliotti told jurors.
"I asked him how [it happened], and he said Mr Tasich had written '30K4U' on the back of a business card and slid it across [the table] to him.
"I asked if he'd reported it and he said he had reported it to Rod Oxley [the council's then-chief executive officer]."
Mr Gigliotti said Tasich made a similar allegation against Mr Coyte in June, 2007, at a function for Wollongong MP Noreen Hay, where he asked him, "What's wrong with Peter [Coyte]?".
"He said they'd had lunch together at a restaurant; the lunch had taken five hours; there had been a lot of drinking; and Peter had said to him, 'My kids are hungry, what's in it for me?'."
Mr Gigliotti told the court the June encounter at Ms Hay's function was the first time Tasich had aired his allegations against Mr Coyte to him.
However, defence solicitor Gabriel Wendler claimed his client had confided in Mr Gigliotti about Mr Coyte's alleged actions months earlier - before Mr Coyte had lodged a complaint to Mr Oxley about Tasich.
Mr Wendler tendered to the court phone records between Mr Gigliotti and Tasich, highlighting calls between the pair in February, 2007.
"Your evidence is that the only time he [Tasich] had complained to you was in June 2007. I put it to you that Mr Tasich made a number of complaints to you in February, 2007. I put it to you [that during these calls in February] he made the allegation that Peter Coyte was asking him for money," Mr Wendler said.
"No, I only remember Mr Tasich complaining to me [at that time] about the slowness of the process," Mr Gigliotti replied.
The hearing will continue today, with the prosecution expected to wrap up its case by lunchtime.
Mr Wendler yesterday said Tasich would enter the witness box to give evidence, despite being under no legal obligation.
