$3.25m payout to Andrew Mallard for wrongful jailing | National News | News.com.au
$3.25m payout to Andrew Mallard for wrongful jailing
By staff writers
The Sunday Times
A WEST Australian man has expressed his "extreme disappointment" at being awarded $3.25m compensation for more than 12 years in jail following his wrongful conviction for murder.
.Andrew Mallard was convicted of the 1994 murder of Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence.
PerthNow reports that WA Attorney General Christian Porter today announced that the Government had settled with Mr Mallard after lengthy negotiations.
Mr Mallard said he was "extremely disappointed" with the figure.
"I will be conferring with my lawyers," Mr Mallard told Fairfax.
Labor MP John Quigley, a close friend of Mr Mallard who fought for his release from prison, said $7.5 million was being sought following independent legal advice Mr Mallard had received.
"One thing I can say with absolute confidence about this offer - Premier Barnett and Christian Porter wouldn't accept this in return for 12 years jail and the destruction of their life," Mr Quigley said.
"Why should Andrew's life be valued at a lesser rate than Colin Barnett's or Christian Porter's?
"In fact this sum equates to approximately to what Colin Barnett will get from the parliamentary super scheme when he retires."
Initially, he had asked for $10 million in compensation for the 12 years he spent behind bars for a crime he didn't commit - the 1994 murder of Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence.
Mr Quigley said Attorney-General Christian Porter had indicated he was preparing to offer a multimillion-dollar ex-gratia payout to Mr Mallard.
He said the police and some individual officers would be sued if Mr Mallard was short-changed.
Mr Quigley said Mr Mallard endured emotional and physical trauma during his time in prison.
"Andrew, because he wouldn't admit his guilt in prison, was shipped off to a psychiatric hospital and injected with drugs principally because he refused to admit his guilt,'' he said.
Scott of Hobart Posted at 8:16pm today
In the UK, people who have been wrongly incarcerated have room and board costs deducted from any compensation payment they may be awarded.. This happened only a few weeks ago, when Sean Hodgson was released after 27 years in prison. His lawyers estimate 100,000 pounds as a figure. Google it if you think it can't be true!
Cory of Perth Posted at 8:14pm today
Wow this is really much much less than I expected. Although they have said that he can continue civil action in a court of law, and that this is sort of a pre-payment. So if he is awarded more in the court he would get (Amount Awarded - 3.25M). PS for those of you who say $300k is a lot of money for a "job" every year, most of us don't work 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, for 12 years in any job! It works out to LESS THAN $31 PER HOUR IN PRISON!
No comments:
Post a Comment