Posted September 26, 2018 08:17:20The ex-Crown prosecutor who successfully prosecuted two former Supreme Court justices says he has been “stunned” by the court’s decision.
Chris Watson was a Crown prosecutor who worked closely with Justice Christopher Bremer on a landmark Supreme Court judgment, The Supreme Court Decision in Pardons and Paroles, which held that prisoners could not be deprived of their liberty.
The decision has been widely praised by rights groups.
But a week later, the Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of the two former judges and handed down a six-month sentence.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mr Watson said he was “heartbroken” by his acquittal and said his experience as a prosecutor in this case had “changed the course of my life”.
He said the court had overturned the convictions because they were based on the wrong legal argument and because it had “betrayed” the judicial process.
“The decision today is an abomination, a mockery of the rule of law and of justice itself,” he said.
“Justice Bremer’s decision in this matter was based on a fundamentally flawed legal argument.”
If justice is to be restored, the Australian people will have to decide if they want to accept the decision of the Court or not.
“They will have the power to overturn it.”
Mr Watson’s client, Justice Stephen Grooms, was convicted of three counts of aggravated assault and one count of grievous bodily harm for striking his former partner, Ms Williams, during a domestic dispute.
Mr Watson was originally convicted of two counts of assault but was later acquitted of two of the charges.
In his statement, Mr Grooms said he had been “overwhelmed” by Justice Bremer, who was his “best friend” and who had supported him during his conviction.
“He has been my best friend since we were young and he has supported me in every trial I have ever been involved in,” he wrote.
“My greatest joy is knowing that my friends and I have finally won our fight for justice.”
Topics:law-crime-and-justice,crime,justice-and/or-administration,justice,courts-and–trials,courtesy-press-release,vic,australiaFirst posted September 26 (2018 07:16:05)Last updated September 26(2018 07.16:04)