❓ Attorney General McGinty informs the House that Sidney John Reid pleaded guilty to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis and was sentenced. The families were informed and supportive.
AnsweredQoN 853Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the Attorney General advise the House of recent developments in bringing to justice those responsible for the car bombing murders of Don Hancock and Lou Lewis? Mr McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question, and I am pleased to inform the House of significant developments in this matter. Yesterday in the Supreme Court, Justice Anderson accepted pleas of guilty from Sidney John Reid to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis. Reid, who was a member of the Kalgoorlie chapter of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years, for the wilful murder of Mr Hancock, and a concurrent life term of imprisonment with an eight-year minimum for the murder of Mr Lewis. The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr McGINTY replied: I thank the member for the question, and I am pleased to inform the House of significant developments in this matter. Yesterday in the Supreme Court, Justice Anderson accepted pleas of guilty from Sidney John Reid to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis. Reid, who was a member of the Kalgoorlie chapter of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years, for the wilful murder of Mr Hancock, and a concurrent life term of imprisonment with an eight-year minimum for the murder of Mr Lewis. The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
I thank the member for the question, and I am pleased to inform the House of significant developments in this matter. Yesterday in the Supreme Court, Justice Anderson accepted pleas of guilty from Sidney John Reid to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis. Reid, who was a member of the Kalgoorlie chapter of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years, for the wilful murder of Mr Hancock, and a concurrent life term of imprisonment with an eight-year minimum for the murder of Mr Lewis. The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr McGINTY replied: I thank the member for the question, and I am pleased to inform the House of significant developments in this matter. Yesterday in the Supreme Court, Justice Anderson accepted pleas of guilty from Sidney John Reid to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis. Reid, who was a member of the Kalgoorlie chapter of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years, for the wilful murder of Mr Hancock, and a concurrent life term of imprisonment with an eight-year minimum for the murder of Mr Lewis. The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
I thank the member for the question, and I am pleased to inform the House of significant developments in this matter. Yesterday in the Supreme Court, Justice Anderson accepted pleas of guilty from Sidney John Reid to the wilful murder of Don Hancock and the murder of Lou Lewis. Reid, who was a member of the Kalgoorlie chapter of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years, for the wilful murder of Mr Hancock, and a concurrent life term of imprisonment with an eight-year minimum for the murder of Mr Lewis. The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
The effective sentence was the minimum that could be delivered under Western Australian law. This was done for two reasons: first, there was an early plea of guilty; and, secondly, the cooperation and assistance that Mr Reid has offered and so far given to the police investigating these heinous crimes warranted that exceptional sentence by the court. Justice Anderson made it clear that he would have imposed the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a maximum of 25 years without parole, but for the agreement of Reid to cooperate and assist the police with matters relating to the murders. Justice Anderson also made it clear that should Reid fail to honour his undertaking to cooperate, he would be brought back before the court and given the full sentence. I am pleased that both the Hancock and Lewis families have been kept informed and are fully supportive of what has developed in this matter. I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
I take this opportunity of joining with my ministerial colleague the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to congratulate the police officers associated with Operation Zircon for an outstanding demonstration of dedicated and good policing in this State. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
Yesterday, the Supreme Court took the highly unusual step of keeping the hearing confidential and sealing the court for security and witness protection reasons. I extend congratulations also to the courts in this State, which have again demonstrated their efficiency and ability to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. I also place on record my appreciation of the roles played in this highly unusual case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in bringing Reid to justice and the Department of Justice, which has arranged for Reid to be imprisoned under terms of witness protection. On behalf of the Government of Western Australia, I extend its thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Members: Hear, hear!
Members: Hear, hear!
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