Big Brother is watching - Oz style...
Discussion
www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=1478
15 months for trying to avoid government sanctioned extortion!!!
The West Australian said:
Mates sent to prison for speed camera lie
24th July 2006, 14:00 WST
Two mates who lied to police about which one of them was driving a speeding car when it was photographed by a Multanova speed camera have been sentenced to 15 months in jail.
District Court Judge Bill Groves, who handed down the sentence, said the offence was so serious the men should be imprisoned.
A senior policeman said the penalty showed that drivers accepting responsibility for somebody else’s mistake was a serious offence.
Judge Groves has handed down three sentences to paedophiles in recent years that were later found by higher courts to have been too soft, while another appeal is pending. Three of the four sex offenders were originally spared jail.
Close friends Raymond Douglas Ranford, 37, and Daniel Alex Bassan, 31, pleaded guilty in Broome District Court in May to attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The court was told that Ranford, who operated a limousine service in Broome, was caught speeding by a Multanova at City Beach and asked Bassan to claim he was driving. Bassan, a concreter, agreed because the infringement would have seen Ranford lose his extraordinary driver’s licence and possibly his business.
Police were listening to their phone calls and the pair were arrested after Ranford presented Bassan’s signed confession to police. Ranford had offered to give Bassan $1000, though the money was not paid.
When the men appeared in court, lawyer Michael Tudori said they did not appreciate the seriousness of their actions and were remorseful.
Judge Groves said that while the men had minor criminal records, a severe punishment would send a message to the public that the courts would not condone such offending.
“The offence is so serious that it strikes at the heart of the administration of justice,” he said.
Judge Groves accepted that Ranford was the instigator, but said both were complicit to a similar degree.
Mr Tudori, who has lodged an appeal which will be heard this week, claimed the sentence was harsh.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Darryl Lockhart said police used secret measures to catch people who conspired to mislead them about speed camera infringements.
“In almost all instances the offenders failed to understand the significance of the charge,” he said.
The maximum penalty for attempting to pervert the course of justice is seven years jail.
24th July 2006, 14:00 WST
Two mates who lied to police about which one of them was driving a speeding car when it was photographed by a Multanova speed camera have been sentenced to 15 months in jail.
District Court Judge Bill Groves, who handed down the sentence, said the offence was so serious the men should be imprisoned.
A senior policeman said the penalty showed that drivers accepting responsibility for somebody else’s mistake was a serious offence.
Judge Groves has handed down three sentences to paedophiles in recent years that were later found by higher courts to have been too soft, while another appeal is pending. Three of the four sex offenders were originally spared jail.
Close friends Raymond Douglas Ranford, 37, and Daniel Alex Bassan, 31, pleaded guilty in Broome District Court in May to attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The court was told that Ranford, who operated a limousine service in Broome, was caught speeding by a Multanova at City Beach and asked Bassan to claim he was driving. Bassan, a concreter, agreed because the infringement would have seen Ranford lose his extraordinary driver’s licence and possibly his business.
Police were listening to their phone calls and the pair were arrested after Ranford presented Bassan’s signed confession to police. Ranford had offered to give Bassan $1000, though the money was not paid.
When the men appeared in court, lawyer Michael Tudori said they did not appreciate the seriousness of their actions and were remorseful.
Judge Groves said that while the men had minor criminal records, a severe punishment would send a message to the public that the courts would not condone such offending.
“The offence is so serious that it strikes at the heart of the administration of justice,” he said.
Judge Groves accepted that Ranford was the instigator, but said both were complicit to a similar degree.
Mr Tudori, who has lodged an appeal which will be heard this week, claimed the sentence was harsh.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Darryl Lockhart said police used secret measures to catch people who conspired to mislead them about speed camera infringements.
“In almost all instances the offenders failed to understand the significance of the charge,” he said.
The maximum penalty for attempting to pervert the course of justice is seven years jail.
15 months for trying to avoid government sanctioned extortion!!!
This thoroughly stinks! Judge Groves should be struck off!
Who wouldn't have done the same for a close mate facing bankruptcy over a petty, victimless speeding ticket? Their big mistake was underestimating the deviousness of the over zealous authorities.
Surveillance operations for petty speeding infringements. I understand the significance of the over kill. What a waste of resources.
Who wouldn't have done the same for a close mate facing bankruptcy over a petty, victimless speeding ticket? Their big mistake was underestimating the deviousness of the over zealous authorities.
DL said:
Acting Assistant Commissioner Darryl Lockhart said police used secret measures to catch people who conspired to mislead them about speed camera infringements.
“In almost all instances the offenders failed to understand the significance of the charge,” he said.
“In almost all instances the offenders failed to understand the significance of the charge,” he said.
Surveillance operations for petty speeding infringements. I understand the significance of the over kill. What a waste of resources.
Edited by deeps on Monday 24th July 20:51
Attempting to pervert the course of justice (even for a bad law) is a serious offence; what they did was wrong. The judgement may be harsh, but justice must be sacrosanct.
However...
It's OK, we're all safe now. Big Brother is watching over us...
However...
puggit said:
The West Australian said:
[...]Police were listening to their phone calls[...]
It's OK, we're all safe now. Big Brother is watching over us...
Major Bloodnok said:
Attempting to pervert the course of justice (even for a bad law) is a serious offence; what they did was wrong. The judgement may be harsh, but justice must be sacrosanct.
Trouble is, I don't think Judge Groves is too hot on justice, Major.
article said said:
"Judge Groves has handed down three sentences to paedophiles in recent years that were later found by higher courts to have been too soft, while another appeal is pending. Three of the four sex offenders were originally spared jail".
Sounds like he was ideal to hear this case. It's mind boggling sentencing to me. Of course, an example has now been made and fear placed in the minds of the masses, unless they're sex offenders of course, but that's far less important anyway
. Major Bloodnok said:
The West Australian said:
[...]Police were listening to their phone calls[...]
It's OK, we're all safe now. Big Brother is watching over us...
Exactly, surveillance operations were carried out because they suspected someone was trying to get away with a petty speeding offence, in order to preserve his livelyhood. That's OTT by a very large degree.
I fear big brother will proliferate to watch over us in this manner as long as they have support for such outcomes as the above injustice. Support, as such from yourself Major.
The course of justice was perverted when responsible members of society were threatened with loss of livelihood for actions that caused no harm to anyone.
The defendants were simply trying to achieve a fairer form of justice. The law is an ass.
Do they wiretap for parking tickets??? FFS.
The defendants were simply trying to achieve a fairer form of justice. The law is an ass.
Do they wiretap for parking tickets??? FFS.
deeps said:
Major Bloodnok said:
Attempting to pervert the course of justice (even for a bad law) is a serious offence; what they did was wrong. The judgement may be harsh, but justice must be sacrosanct.
Trouble is, I don't think Judge Groves is too hot on justice, Major.
It doesn't sound like it, deeps, and I was't trying to suggest that the sentence was fair.
The story does highlight two distinct threats, though, one from each side of the "divide": attempting to pervert the course of justice must be punished on principle (one can argue the degree of punishment case-by-case, but the principle is that perverting the course of justice will not be tolerated); covert surveillance by the justice system is fundamentally wrong, unless preceded by strong evidence of wrongdoing. Its only real justification is to widen the net by monitoring a known criminal - and, even there, only when there is strong evidence of planned criminal activity involving others unknown (and that still makes me uneasy...). In the case at hand, the use of covert surveillance is, quite simply, evil. As I said on another thread, it is based on the presumption of guilt, or, at least, the presumption of intent to do wrong. Those presumptions have no place in a civilised, democratic society.
The fact that if the sex offenders had tried to hang the blame on someone else they'd have faced harsher sentences than if they'd pleaded guilty show how insane the situation is.
At least in this country you can pass anyone off as the driver. Provided you pay the £60 fine the SCPs couldn't care less who was driving.....
At least in this country you can pass anyone off as the driver. Provided you pay the £60 fine the SCPs couldn't care less who was driving.....
Similar to the UK then - didn't a nurse get a 6 month jail sentence for declaring that someone else was driving her car when it was flashed?
Absolutely crazy really. It is not unlikely that people will cheat when it is the only means to protect their livelihood? The establishment has thus made rules that give people the choice of risking perverting the course of justice charges, or losing their jobs. Better off being caught for burglary or assault - spot of community service and you'll be right mate.
Absolutely crazy really. It is not unlikely that people will cheat when it is the only means to protect their livelihood? The establishment has thus made rules that give people the choice of risking perverting the course of justice charges, or losing their jobs. Better off being caught for burglary or assault - spot of community service and you'll be right mate.
BliarOut said:
Groves is a c0ck. So he wants to send out a message to the public that trrying to avoid speeding fines warrants a jail sentence but raping doesn't 
What sort of a shitty muddled up planet does he live on?
What sort of a shitty muddled up planet does he live on?I agree the sentence is too harsh but I can't see anything about rape in the article.
SamHH said:
BliarOut said:
Groves is a c0ck. So he wants to send out a message to the public that trrying to avoid speeding fines warrants a jail sentence but raping doesn't What sort of a shitty muddled up planet does he live on?
What sort of a shitty muddled up planet does he live on?I agree the sentence is too harsh but I can't see anything about rape in the article.
The article said:
Judge Groves has handed down three sentences to paedophiles in recent years that were later found by higher courts to have been too soft, while another appeal is pending. Three of the four sex offenders were originally spared jail.
I was so incensed I read what I thought it said, not what it said
If it's the same as over here then paedo stuff is statutory rape anyway
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