NSW: Debus rules out law to jail offender released after blunder

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2003
NSW: Debus rules out law to jail offender released after blunder

NSW Attorney-General BOB DEBUS says the case involving a convicted paedophile who was
wrongly freed on appeal, is now in the hands of two inquiry commissions.

Mr DEBUS has ruled out a special law to jail the man who was convicted of assaulting
an 11-year-old girl and then freed on appeal because of a legal blunder.

The man was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault in western Sydney's Penrith
Local Court in November 2002.

But his conviction was quashed on appeal in February by District Court judge HELEN
MORGAN on the grounds he was drunk at the time.

She ruled the man therefore could not have formed an intention to commit the crime.

Opposition leader JOHN BROGDEN says the government should introduce a special law to
ensure justice is done.

The actions of the judge and prosecutor are now before the Judicial Commission of NSW
and the Legal Services Commissioner respectively.

AAP RTV jph/kbw/rh/rp/rh/psm/

KEYWORD: BLUNDER DEBUS (SYDNEY)

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