Attorney General responds to calls for an inquiry into police corruption
The barrister who represented a man wrongly convicted of murder is requesting a royal commission into the case.
After spending more than a decade in jail, Scott Austic was freed last year when WA’s Court of Appeal found credible evidence police had planted items to have him charged over his pregnant lover, Stacey Thorne’s, death.
David Edwardson QC accused the officers of ‘corrupt, misguided and criminal conduct’ in their investigation of the fatal stabbing.
Attorney General John Quigley told 6PR’s Liam Bartlett he advised the barrister to request an inquiry with the Corruption and Crime Commission instead.
“I wrote back to Mr Edwardson and informed him that I would not be calling a royal commission, we have in Western Australia the Corruption Crime Commission which has the standing powers of a royal commission,” he said.
“They are in independent body, they look at what is presented to them, and then they make a decision whether to hold an inquiry or not.”
Mr Austic reveled yesterday he is still waiting for compensation from the state government, months on from his release.
But the Attorney General said he has to wait for an inquiry before compensation can be considered.
“I’m not going to race into the question of compensation, I’m waiting for advice from the State Solicitors Office and to see what unfolds in any inquiry,” Mr Quigley said.
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(Photo: Philip Gostelow/ WAtoday.)
Scott Austic’s lawyer demands inquiry into potential police corruption