Melbourne property promoter, Henry Kaye, now won’t face trial on a deception charge after the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions this morning dropped the complaint against him in Melbourne’s County Court.

A charge of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception against Kaye was withdrawn in the Melbourne County Court this morning. The Director of Public Prosecutions filed a notice of discontinuance before Judge Margaret Rizkalla.

The charge relates to a loan from St George Bank of almost $18 million.

According to reports, defence counsel Mark Taft, SC, said the withdrawal of the charge – the only charge Mr Kaye faced – was a great relief to him.

“He was constantly maintaining his innocence. It’s a matter of great relief for him that the matter is concluded,” Mr Taft said.

The DPP is understood to have changed his mind after new evidence was given in court last December by Mr Kaye’s conveyancing solicitor. That evidence is believed to have been different from that given in Kaye’s committal hearing in March, 2007.