A man accused of insider trading in the shares of Beacon Minerals Limited has pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Darryl Brian Mapleson, who provided geological services to Beacon Minerals, pleaded guilty to one count of insider trading (amended to include two trades) on 12 May 2025.
The charge related to Mr Mapleson procuring Rosdarem Pty Ltd and Rosdarem Investments Pty Ltd, companies of which he was a director, to acquire 6,792,850 Beacon Minerals shares, between 21 and 24 January 2017 while he was in possession of inside information.
At the time, Mr Mapleson was engaged by Beacon Minerals to act as its Competent Person for the making of announcements to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) regarding drilling results.
Two charges of insider trading were discontinued.
Mr Mapleson will now appear for a sentence hearing on 6 August 2025.
In a related case, Alexander McCulloch formally pleaded not guilty to two counts of insider trading. Mr McCulloch, who was a former project manager at Beacon Minerals, is alleged to have encouraged two associates to purchase shares in Beacon Minerals while Mr McCulloch was in possession of inside information.
Mr McCulloch's matter has been provisionally listed for trial in the Supreme Court from 9-20 November 2026.
Background
Mr Mapleson first appeared on insider trading charges on 21 May 2021 (21-111MR).
The inside information allegedly possessed by Mr Mapleson related to results from the stage one drilling programme at Beacon Minerals' Jaurdi Gold Project, which had not yet been announced via the ASX.
