A Perth man has been charged with allegedly having too many wives, in a rare bigamy case prosecuted by Australian Federal Police.
Gary Henry White, 48, has been charged with bigamy and making false declarations after he was allegedly still married to his first wife when he wed a second woman in July 2020.
Police have alleged:
- In July 2020 Mr White was allegedly separated from his first wife but not divorced when he married a second woman;
- In September 2021 he finalised the divorce from his first wife;
- In September 2022 he allegedly separated from his second wife, but there was no divorce;
- In November 2022 he allegedly married a third woman.
There is no allegation of bigamy in relation to the third marriage.
That is because by then, Mr White was divorced from his first wife and was not technically married to his second wife because the alleged bigamy rendered the second marriage invalid.
But police said ahead of that marriage, he told the Department of Justice’s Births, Deaths and Marriages he had "never validly married" and signed a formal declaration of "no legal impediment to marriage".
Accused to fight charges
In a statement, Australian Federal Police (AFP) leading Senior Constable Kevin Loermans said allegations of deception and bigamy were treated seriously.
"This type of deception and offending has long-lasting and negative real life impacts on the victims and families involved and the AFP will ensure allegations like this are investigated fully," he said.
Police said at least the second wife was never told of Mr White's previous marriage.
In addition to one count of bigamy, Mr White, from South Guildford, is also charged with making false declarations on legal documents and application forms.
Mr White appeared before Perth Magistrates Court early this afternoon after being arrested by AFP officers on Thursday.
He was not required to enter a plea.
He was dressed in hi-vis work clothes and socks but no shoes, although he had put on a pair of boots by the time he left the building.
Bail was granted unopposed with several conditions put in place, including:
- Mr White provide a $2,000 surety
- That he reside at a specific address
- That he not contact a specific person or come within 50 metres of them
- That he not come within 500 metres of any point of international departure
- That he not leave the state of WA
- That he surrender all passports within 72 hours
While setting conditions the magistrate queried whether Mr White works in the fly-in fly-out mining sector, to which he answered "no".
Websites and past advertisements posted online featuring Mr White's image list him as a photographer.
Outside court Mr White said he would be fighting the charges against him "because they are false".
Asked if he was married to two women at once he said "no".
Gary White also said he was "surprised" to be taken in for questioning by police on Thursday.
Mr White is due to appear in court again next month.
The maximum penalty for bigamy is five years in prison.
