The Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Rapke, will get plenty of nods of approval from victims and their families today with his plan to challenge the Court of Appeal  to set tougher sentences for drug traffickers, murderers and frauds.

He says he believes that some crimes have been ‘devalued’ by light sentences. And I for one will say ‘hallelujah’ to that.

But, in the meantime, why doesn’t he get heavier on a couple of cases from this week.

Like the case of a drunken 19-year-old who battered a sleeping 75-year-old  woman unconscious so that she wouldn’t recognise him when he burgled her house.

How about deciding that Judge David Parsons was wrong when he decided Ashley Wayne Brooks was too young and too skinny to be sent to an adult jail and instead gave him time in a youth justice centre.

He wasn’t too skinny to dislocate Barbara Durea’s jaw or break her nose or close one eye and force her into an induced coma for 12 days.

Why doesn’t the DPP see if Judge Parsons’ compassionate treatment of  the aboriginal youth had anything to do with the fact that before Attorney-General Rob Hulls made him a judge  he was a director of the Stolen Generation Board and the  Koori Heritage Trust. Justice must be seen to be done, remember?

And how about answering this question: What does a football player have to do to have a conviction recorded against him after committing a crime?  Look at the thug players who avoided conviction after that St. Kilda Hotel riot.

And this week we’ve got the case of Geelong  player Steve Johnson. He drove at 128 kph in a 50 zone. Nearly 80 kph above the speed limit. The judge thought that was serious enough to fine him $500 and suspend his licence for a year.  But a conviction? None recorded.

Magistrate Stephen Myall said he took into account Johnson’s early  guilty plea. His apparent remorse and the context of the offence.

What context? A hoon driver could have killed somebody.  How can you even reach 128ks in a 50 zone?

Once again the court heard that Johnson was a role model who had worked hard to gain the respect of his peers and the Geelong community. Yeah, sure. This came after he was arrested for being drunk in a public place last year. From memory the Police had even provided a taxi service home for him once that night before he lurched out again looking for trouble.

That charge did not get to court.

I suggest that Mr. Johnson watch television tonight at 8.27 p.m.  Watch the TAC community service announcement featuring people who have lost loved ones in car accidents.

As they say in newspaper ads today: ‘ … to anyone who thinks that driving a bit over the speed limit is OK; if what you see tonight makes you upset, or uncomfortable or angry, we make no apologies whatsoever.’

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2008