A man has been left red-faced after unsuccessfully attempting to have the head of Amazon in Australia, Janet Menzies, charged with theft.
Peter Nesic, from the ACT region, lodged information with the ACT Magistrates Court, setting out an allegation that Ms Menzies had committed an offence.
But Mr Nesic's case failed at the first hurdle, after barrister Katrina Musgrove, who was defending the Amazon executive, had the summons dismissed.
Ms Menzies has not been charged with any offence and did not appear in court.
Magistrate Robert Cook agreed with the defence, that the summons did not meet the requirements to be heard by the ACT court.
He agreed that the court had no jurisdiction as Ms Menzies was a New South Wales resident and the allegation related to a website that was hosted overseas.
The court did not hear specific details about Mr Nesic's failed claim.
Magistrate Cook was critical of Mr Nesic's case, telling the man that he had accused Ms Menzies of committing theft alongside others without saying who he was referring to.
Magistrate Cook said, "I wouldn't even know what the charge would be."
Mr Nesic decided to withdraw his action.
That prompted the Amazon manager's lawyer to put forward an application requesting that he pay the defendant's legal costs.
The man looked shocked and said, "But the Crown doesn't have to pay costs".
"You are not the Crown, and yes, the Crown can also have to pay costs," Magistrate Cook responded.
Mr Nesic will have 21 days to pay Ms Menzies's legal costs.
