Former Wollongong town planner Beth Morgan.
MERCURY SAYS
When Independent Commission against Corruption officers raided Wollongong City Council's offices in December 2006, it sparked one of the biggest scandals the city has seen.
So big in fact that it poured shame and scorn on Wollongong and made news around the world.
The raid unravelled a sordid tale of sex, lies, videotapes and corruption that would end with the council being sacked and administrators appointed.
As one Mercury report said at the time, the scandal involving sexual liaisons between Wollongong council planner Beth Morgan and developers Frank Vellar and Glen Tabak, had all the makings of a Hollywood script.
But they were just three players in the cast which included councillors, developers and public servants including former council general manager Rod Oxley, council officers Joe Scimone and John Gilbert and Wollongong councillors Valerio Zanotto, Kiril Jonovski, Zeki Esen and Frank Gigliotti.
ICAC commissioner Jerrold Cripps made corrupt conduct findings against 10 people.
The saga prompted Mr Oxley to write a tell-all book Named and Shamed to clear his name, and led to a blockbuster play about the saga, The Table of Knowledge, which played to sell-out audiences.
The scandal had everything, it seems, except justice for the people of Wollongong - who this morning discovered the Director of Public Prosecutions has closed the case.
It means some of the main players, in particular Beth Morgan, will never have their day in court.
Wollongong has every right to feel cheated.