Beattie Minister pleads guilty - jail time beckons ...

(Image - Courier Mail - more images here - Rose pictorial.)

Former Beattie Tourism Minister Merri Rose plead guilty to one count of demanding benefit with threats with sentencing to be finalised tomorrow.

For the moment, details of the nature of the threat have been suppressed.

Excerpt from ABC News:

Rose's blackmail threats suppressed by court

30 May 2007

Former Queensland tourism minister Merri Rose has pleaded guilty to attempting to blackmail Premier Peter Beattie, but the details of the threat will be suppressed from the public.

Rose fronted the District Court in Brisbane to plead guilty to one count of demanding benefit with threats, after demanding Mr Beattie give her a high-paying job in the public service, and making threats if he did not oblige.

The court heard that in October last year Rose made threats during a meeting with her former press secretary, David Smith, in Brisbane's Queen Street mall.

Crown Prosecutor Paul Rutledge told the court Rose told Mr Smith she "had very damaging evidence against a person ... information which would cause them to suffer and lose everything".

It is not known whether Mr Beattie was the subject of those particular threats and the judge has ruled those details and the exact nature of the threats be suppressed from the public.

Mr Beattie reported the incident to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

The sentencing hearing is continuing.

See - ABC News - Rose pleads guilty.

Also see - Courier Mail - Rose guilty of blackmail.