❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Police regarding WAPOL's handling of bail for Danny Hodgson's attacker and the Premier's subsequent statements. The Minister clarifies that while police initially indicated opposition to bail, they did not explicitly oppose it in court, leading to confusion.
AnsweredQoN 681Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
VIOLENT OFFENDERS — BAIL AND SUPERVISION
ORDER RELEASE — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
681. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Police:
I refer to Danny Hodgson's
attacker, who allegedly assaulted another Western Australian while out on
parole, and Western Australia Police Force failing to oppose bail when
that accused person was brought before the Geraldton Magistrates Court.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing on WAPOL's handling of this incident,
including how it led to the Premier and Attorney General misleading Parliament
and the public?
(2) Was it
appropriate for WAPOL not to explicitly oppose bail for someone with such a history
of violence?
ORDER RELEASE — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
681. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Police:
I refer to Danny Hodgson's
attacker, who allegedly assaulted another Western Australian while out on
parole, and Western Australia Police Force failing to oppose bail when
that accused person was brought before the Geraldton Magistrates Court.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing on WAPOL's handling of this incident,
including how it led to the Premier and Attorney General misleading Parliament
and the public?
(2) Was it
appropriate for WAPOL not to explicitly oppose bail for someone with such a history
of violence?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for the question. I am advised that we were initially
informed that police opposed bail, but what actually happened is that they did
not explicitly oppose bail. I understand it was a little confusing in the
court, to the extent that the journalist who was sitting at the back of the
court assumed that the police had opposed bail, having witnessed what took
place in the court. It was not particularly clear,
as is possibly quite often the case with these matters as there is a lot of
discussion. Clearly, the history of the individual as an adult was
raised, but his original offence to which the member referred took place as a juvenile,
so it could not be referred to then. It was a little confusing. Police informed
us that they had opposed bail initially and that is what led to the statements
by the Premier, but they did not explicitly oppose bail.
I thank the member for the question. I am advised that we were initially
informed that police opposed bail, but what actually happened is that they did
not explicitly oppose bail. I understand it was a little confusing in the
court, to the extent that the journalist who was sitting at the back of the
court assumed that the police had opposed bail, having witnessed what took
place in the court. It was not particularly clear,
as is possibly quite often the case with these matters as there is a lot of
discussion. Clearly, the history of the individual as an adult was
raised, but his original offence to which the member referred took place as a juvenile,
so it could not be referred to then. It was a little confusing. Police informed
us that they had opposed bail initially and that is what led to the statements
by the Premier, but they did not explicitly oppose bail.
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