Comments on commissioner on the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan

So, it's pretty obvious that despite the decade long "Macro Task Force" the most expensive criminal investigation ever held in the southern hemisphere ... they simply allowed the CSK to slip though their fingers ... and a list of women here in Western Australia and also in Queensland, paid the price with their lives, for this absolute failure of basic policing...

And what REALLY pisses me off?

Our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .. Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan ..... who has been with this very Western Australian Police Force since 1974 - so over 40 years and the last decade he has been the Western Australian Police Commissioner ... and in all that time .... our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .... Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan hasn't done ONE single thing to fix the systemic problems with the Major Crime Squad? (Not to mention he - our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .... Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan .... also hasn't cleaning house of all the corrupt police as well) ...

And this failed Police Commissioner's reward?

A contract extension for a further 2 years from the Liberal Western Australian Government run by Premier Colin Barnet, Police Commissioner Liza Hervey and Attorney General Michael Minschin ...

Taken from
https://m.facebook.com/ShirleyJuneFinn/posts/1666095920286428

and

 R v Wark, Francis John  (2006) QCA 172

Files Numbers:

CA No 340 of 2007 DC No 651 of 2007 DC No 547 of 2007

Applicant Appellant: WARK, Francis John

Delivered on:  27 June 2008
Brisbane

Originating Motion:

District Court at Cairns

Proceeding: Sentence Application

Division: Court of Appeal

Court of Appeal

Hearing Date: 26th May, 2008

Delivered on: 2th June, 2008

Judges: McMurdo P, Mackenzie AJA and Cullinane J 
Separate reasons for judgment of each member of the Court, 
each concurring as to the orders made

https://m.facebook.com/ShirleyJuneFinn/posts/1666095920286428

WA Major Crime is one giant cluster-phuk of monumental proportions!

Why has it taken this long to recognize the obvious?

We had just one coroner and were more than a DECADE behind schedule on coroners inquiries.

Now we have 4 coroners ...MAYBE we might catch up one day!

WA Labor Government " promised" a coroners inquest into the disappearance of Hayley Marie Dodd in July of 1999 - would be held in 2004!

A Decade later our current Police Minister Liza Harvey of the "Now WA Liberal Government" promised a coroners inquest into the disappearance of Hayley Marie Dodd in July on 1999 to be held in January of 2014.

An here we are, in June of 2015 - almost 16 years (next month) since this child Hayley Marie Dodd vanished ....

And STILL NO FRICKEN CORONERS INQUEST!

Oh!!!!! Yes!!!! 

The Western Australian Major Crime Squad are "convinced" that they have their man and will extradite John Francis Wark from Queensland to be tried for her (Hayley Marie Dodd's) homicide.

The same Western Australian Major Crime Squad described in this article who couldn't find the cheeks of their own arse with a sniffer dog to smell it out and a mirror on a big stick to view it!

They ( the Western Australian Major Crime Squad) have NO PHKKIN IDEA!

Yeah this guy John Francis Wark is involved for sure.

But did he (John Francis Wark) act alone?

Nope!!!

He (John Francis Wark) committed other crimes while he was here is Western Australia that again the Western Australian Major Crime Squad failed to discover and they allowed him (John Francis Wark) to escape to Queensland in late 1999 out of the Western Australian legal jurisdiction?

Of course WAPOL have at least partial DNA from the 2 CSK victims. What they said publicly about not having any (at least partial DNA) was probably to try and make the suspect more confident and not flee Western Australian Jurisdiction before they could catch him!

Why would anyone in 1996/1997 pay the large amount of costs back them to DNA all the taxi drivers if you have no at least partial DNA sample against which to compare it?

It just doesn't make any sense.

(quote)

Weygers was one of about 100 men initially interviewed by detectives in the rush of activity. In the years since, his significance has been mostly dismissed by the police, But that changed in dramatic circumstances last week  when detectives staged a very public search on his Claremont home, during which **** he (Waygers) was compelled to give a DNA sample *** (quote).. Why take Weyger's DNA by force with a warrant - if there's no sample against which to compare it?

Google search Mark Dixie and CSK and you'll see WAPOL went all the way to the UK to get Dixie's DNA and used it to eliminate him (Dixie) as a suspect for CSK, even though he (Dixie) was here in 1996/1997 working as a chef in Claremont (the Continenal Hotel, Bay View Terrace, Claremont) under an assumed alias at the time and his MO for his murder conviction in the UK closely matches the 2 located CSK victims?

How did they eliminate him (Dixie) if it wasn't with a DNA sample against which to compare?

Sally Anne Bowman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sally_Anne_Bowman

Sally Anne Bowman (11 September 1987 – 25 September 2005) was an English singer and model who was murdered in the early hours of 25 September 2005 in Croydon, Greater London. Bowman, aged 18 at the time of her death, had been robbed, raped and repeatedly stabbed. Mark Dixie, who had a history of robbery and sexual offences, was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended minimum of 34 years.

Life and Career

Bowman, born on 11 September 1987 in Carshalton, Greater London to Linda and Paul Bowman (who later divorced), attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. She had dreams of one day appearing on the cover of Vogue and had been compared to Kate Moss. Bowman worked part-time as a hairdresser and model. In January 2005, Bowman joined Pulse Model Management, a local modelling agency. She became the face of Swatch watches,  and took part in the Swatch Alternative Fashion Week in April 2005. She described her experience there. "I was so nervous all week particularly when all the models were lined up and the designers chose who they wanted to model their clothes—luckily I was picked by loads of designers which gave me more confidence.", Bowman said, describing her experience.

Murder

At 10 p.m.  on 24 September 2005, Bowman, her half-sister, Nicole, and some friends went to Lloyds Bar in Croydon, where they stayed until 1 a.m. After leaving the bar, Sally Anne waited outside for 15 minutes before being taken to a friend's house by taxi.  She contacted her ex-boyfriend, Lewis Sproston, with whom she had recently broken up, and he agreed to pick her up and take her home after she told him Nicole had been arrested for fighting. She took a taxi back into Croydon town centre, where Sproston picked her up at around 2:20 a.m. and drove her to her home in Blenheim Crescent.  While in the car, Bowman and Sproston quarrelled, accusing each other of infidelity. Shortly after 4 a.m., Bowman left the car and Sproston drove off. Minutes later, Bowman was stabbed in the neck and stomach, and then raped as she lay dead or dying. Her handbag, cardigan, underwear and mobile phone were stolen. Police initially treated Sproston as a suspect, and was subsequently arrested but after being held for four days, DNA evidence eliminated him as a suspect.

Mark Dixie was accused and charged with the assault and murder of Bowman. At the Old Bailey on 22 February 2008, Dixie was found guilty of Bowman's murder by a unanimous verdict after three hours of jury deliberation. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended minimum of 34 years, by which time he will be 70 years old. This is among the longest minimum terms ever imposed upon a single murderer.  It was then revealed that Dixie was already a convicted serial sex offender.

Following Dixie's murder conviction, Detective Superintendent Stuart Cundy, who had led the Bowman investigation, said: "It is my opinion that a national DNA register—with all its appropriate safeguards—could have identified Bowman's murderer within 24 hours. Instead it took nearly nine months before Mark Dixie was identified, and almost two-and-a-half years for justice to be done."

The calls for such a register were, however, turned down by ministers and other politicians who claimed that it would raise practical as well as civil liberties issues.

A documentary about the murder was broadcast on BBC One on 8 April 2008. Another TV documentary, as part of ITV's Real Crime series documented Bowman's killing, with interviews, the history of the case and reconstructions included, aired on 29 June 2009.

Mark Dixie

Mark Philip Dixie (born 24 September 1970) was born in Streatham. When he was 18 months old, his parents separated. When he was 8, his mother remarried; she had two sons by her new husband. Dixie took his stepfather's surname, McDonald.

Dixie's criminal record begins in 1986. Between then and 1990, he was found guilty of robbery, burglary, assaulting a police officer, indecent assault, indecent exposure and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He lived in Australia from January 1993 until he was deported back to the UK in April 1999 after being fined for indecent exposure. He lived in London until moving to Spain in 2002. He moved back to England in 2003.

Dixie later started work as a chef at Ye Olde Six Bells pub in Horley, Surrey. He was arrested on 10 June 2006 in nearby Crawley, West Sussex,^[16] after being involved in a fight while watching an England vs Trinidad and Tobago World Cup football match. His DNA was taken and matched with that of Bowman's killer!

Dixie denied the murder. As part of his defence he claimed he had spent the night drinking and taking drugs, and had gone out to buy more cocaine. He claimed to have come across the body of Bowman, murdered, he said, by a third party, and had sex with her after she was killed.

Dixie's DNA matches that left at a sexual assault in 2001, where it is believed he masturbated in front of a woman in a telephone booth. 

In October 2006, Dixie's DNA was sent to Western Australia to be tested against that of the DNA evidence in the Claremont serial killer case between 1996 and 1997, as it is believed he was in the area at the time of the killings, and may have committed them.  At his trial for the murder of Bowman, an unnamed Thai woman gave evidence that Dixie had stabbed and raped her in Australia in June 1998 in Subiaco, Western Australia whilst Dixie was burgling her house; Dixie has yet to be formally charged with this attack, though a DNA sample from the woman's underwear has been matched to him. 

Aftermath

On 11 September 2008, a memorial was held to mark what would have been Bowman's 21st birthday. Balloons were released in Central Croydon outside Primark in North End. 

(quote)

In October 2006, ***** Dixie's DNA was sent to Western Australia to be tested against the of the DNA evidence in the Claremont Serial Killer case between 1996 and 1997, *** as it is believed he was in the area at the time of the killings, and may have committed them (12) At his (Dixie's Trial for the murder of Bowman, an unnamed Thai woman gave evidence that Dixie had stabbed and raped her in Australia in June 1996 in Subiaco, Western Australia whilst Dixie was burgling her house Dixie has yet to be formally charged with his attack, though a DNA sample from the woman's underwear has been matched to him (quote).

Yet WAPOL would have everyone believe they have no DNA from the 2 found CSK victims!

(quote)

The report also says that  ****police found no offender's DNA on the bodies of the two women who have been found, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

The bodies were exposed to the elements for too long *** (quote)

So which is it WAPOL? You either have DNA or you do not have DNA?

The facts suggest, WAPOL Major Crime Squad are full of sh!t - or just 100% totally fricken incompetent, and incompetence that has cost further innocent women's lives!

You don't need the (Full) DNA sample even --- all you need is lower the suspect pool from every man in Perth in 1996 - to just one family tree!

It's called familial DNA sequencing! Developed as part of the 9/11 twin towers collapse to identify - 3,000 people from minor fragments of remains recovered.

So of course WAPOL have SOME kind of DNA sample (even it just parcial!) IMHO.

I suspect Wark of possiible CSK and Julie Cutler, Lisa Brown, Lisa Govan, Hayley Dodd, Kathleen O'Shea and his 2006 Queensland victim and so of a long while ago - prior in fact to Queensland coroner identifying him as a suspect  in Kathleen O'Shea's disappearance in 2005.

The this is 'dead/missing' women follow this poor bastard around "geographically speaking" ... apparently!

in 1988  he (John Francis Wark) lived with his parents in Cottesloe (aged- 32 I think) according to the electoral role for the time!

Also in 1988 Julie Cutler  vanished on her way home from the Parmelia Hotel and her car was found floating off the Cottesloe Groyne!

When in Badgingarra in 199 - he had a job as the school gardener. Did he get this job because he had a work reference from Iona - a prestigious women’s college in Cottesloe/Peppermint Grove/Perth.

Did he leave Perth for Badingarra in 1007/98 because things were too hot for him in Perth due to the CSK Marco Task Force

July 1999 Hayley Dodd vanishes, within a few miles of - John Francis Wark 's place!

These women really should stop following him (John Francis Wark) around - the poor sod they make him John Francis Wark) look like a criminal!!

In October 1999 he (John Francis Wark) got a $10,000 deposit on his house sale, 4 months after Hayley Dodd vanished, and headed for Queensland via Kalgoorlie, on his (Warks') motorbike with his dog.

Unlucky sod - another dead/missing woman Lisa Govan in Kalgoorlie in October 1999 last seen drinking with?

A guy on a motorbike no less!

There's another one - following the poor guy around!

He (John Francis Wark) buys a place in Queensland in December 1999/January 2000 and Katie O'Shea Vanishes 20 miles away from his house while hitch hiking in 2005!

See? they ( these dead or missing girls) just keep following following Him (John Francis Wark) around, eh?

How unlucky can one bloke (John Francis Wark) be?

At his (John Francis Wark 's) 2006 trial his 'M.O.' is exposed as using rope to tie his victims wrists!

In the 1996/1997 CSK cases in Claremont/Perth, Western Australia, WAPOL were "interested" in rope with printers ink on it found binding at least one if not two of the CSK victims wrists according to the media.

Poor unlucky sod (John Francis Wark) - fancy someone else with the same MO and using it on all these unfortunate women who follow him around?

Also after the CSK cases there was information posted at the Gary Hughes blog (And a copy pasted and forwarded to me by a Private Investigator) that says a female forensics investigator let it slip.... that at least one of CSK victims (Jane Rimmer and/or Ciara Glennon) had been bitten on the chest!

Again John Francis Wark 's the unluckiest man alive, because this 2006 victim - was also bitten on the chest!

https://jade.io/article/79701

Paragraphs 23-47 reveal all about his (John Francis Wark 's MO)

John Francis Wark 's the unluckiest bloke alive, or he is the CSK serial killer which is why WAPOL think they have enough evidence to convict him (John Francis Wark) and are extraditing him to WA to be charged formally with Hayley Dodd's abduction/death.

Even without a body the DPP believe they have enough evidence to convict him?

What could that possibly be?

Forensic Dentist Comparison on teeth x/rays and bite photos from the 2006 Queensland rape case he was convicted for, with the autoposy photos of Jane Rimmer chest bites in 1996/1997?

DNA comparison?

Remember the Macro Task Force was "wound up" after a decade, so from 1996-2006.

John Francis Wark 's DNA didn't get into Codis (Criminal) DNA Database, until 2007, a full year after WAPOL stopped looking!

But now they (WAPOL) have enough evidence to convict him (John Francis Wark) of Hayley Didd?

I don't think so - I think they are going charge him (John Francis Wark) with several crimes ...including SOME of the CSK victims...

Or

He's the unluckiest guy alive and dead women make a habit of following him around!

So, it's pretty obvious that despite the decade long "Macro Task Force" the most expensive criminal investigation ever held in the southern hemisphere ... they simply allowed the CSK to slip though their fingers ... and a list of women here in Western Australia and also in Queensland, paid the price with their lives, for this absolute failure of basic policing...

And what REALLY pisses me off?

Our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .. Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan ..... who has been with this very Western Australian Police Force since 1974 - so over 40 years and the last decade he has been the Western Australian Police Commissioner ... and in all that time .... our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .... Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan hasn't done ONE single thing to fix the systemic problems with the Major Crime Squad? (Not to mention he - our current Western Australian Police Commissioner .... Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan .... also hasn't cleaning house of all the corrupt police as well) ...

And this failed Police Commissioner's reward?

A contract extension for a further 2 years from the Liberal Western Australian Government run by Premier Colin Barnet, Police Commissioner Liza Hervey and Attorney General Michael Minschin ...

Is out Western Australian Liberal Government "brain dead"?

its a simple fact that these failures have led to innocent women die-ing and no one is being held to account for these more horrific failings on the Western Australian Police Service!

If our  current Western Australian Police Commissioner .... Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan  has even a single SHRED of human redency, her would resign for his and his agency's Catastrophic  failures!!

It simply beggers belief!

SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND

https://jade.io/article/79701

 JADE CaseTrace

Citations:	[2008] QCA 172  [Copy]
Prior decisions:	[2008] QCA 166
Citations to this decision:	10
Cases cited:	9
Statutory material cited:	1
Cited sections:	[6], [9], [20]
Most recent citation:	[2016] QCA 33
Source:	Download original document

CITATION:	R v Wark [2008] QCA 172
PARTIES:	R  v  WARK, Francis John  (applicant/appellant)
FILE NO/S:	CA No 340 of 2007 DC No 651 of 2007 DC No 547 of 2007
DIVISION:	Court of Appeal
PROCEEDING:	Sentence Application
ORIGINATING  COURT:	District Court at Cairns
DELIVERED ON:	27 June 2008
DELIVERED AT:	Brisbane
HEARING DATE:	26 May 2008
JUDGES:	McMurdo P, Mackenzie AJA and Cullinane J  Separate reasons for judgment of each member of the Court,  each concurring as to the orders made
ORDER:	1. Application for leave to appeal against sentencegranted
	2. Appeal allowed
	3. The sentence imposed at first instance is varied only to the extent of substituting a sentence of 12 years imprisonment for each sentence of 13 years imprisonment
CATCHWORDS:	CRIMINAL LAW – APPEAL AND NEW TRIAL AND INQUIRY AFTER CONVICTION – APPEAL AGAINST SENTENCE – APPEAL BY CONVICTED PERSONS – APPLICATIONS TO REDUCE SENTENCE – where applicant pleaded guilty to an ex-officio indictment to five counts of rape, five counts of sexual assault, one count of assault with intent to rape, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, one count of deprivation of liberty and two summary charges – where sentenced to imprisonment for 13 years in respect of each of the five counts of rape to be served concurrently– where learned sentencing judge made a declaration pursuant to s 161 of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) – whether total imprisonment imposed is manifestly excessive – whether learned sentencing judge gave sufficient consideration to the plea of guilty – whether learned sentencing judge erred in concluding that the range for the type of offending involved would be some 14 to 16 years imprisonment
	Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld), s 161
	R v Barclay [1999] QCA 457, considered  R v Coghlan [1998] 2 Qd R 498; [1997] QCA 270,  considered  R v Edwards [2004] QCA 20, considered  R v Mason [1997] QCA 67, considered  R v Riley (2006) 161 A Crim R 414; [2006] NTCCA 10, cited R v Robinson [2007] QCA 349, considered  R v Spoehr [2003] QCA 412, considered  R v TM [2005] QCA 130, considered  R v Webb [2004] QCA 448, cited
COUNSEL:	J A Greggery for the applicant M J Copley for the respondent
SOLICITORS:	Ryan and Bosscher (Cairns) for the applicant  Director of Public Prosecutions (Queensland) for the  respondent

1. McMURDO P: The application for leave to appeal should be granted, the appeal allowed and the sentence imposed at first instance varied only to the extent of substituting a sentence of 12 years imprisonment for each sentence of 13 years imprisonment. I agree with the reasons of both Mackenzie AJA and Cullinane J and wish to add only some further brief observations.

2. Whilst cases of penile vaginal or penile anal penetration will often be more serious and attract heavier penalties than cases involving only digital penetration, the appropriate sentence in each case will turn on its own circumstances. Relevant exacerbating factors include whether the complainant is a child and if so, the age of the child; whether violence has been used; the physical and psychological effect of the offence on the victim; and whether the offender has previous relevant history. By way of an example of a serious case of non-penile rape, see R v Riley.^[1]

[1] (2006) 161 A Crim R 414; [2006] NTCCA 10.

3. R v Coghlan^[2] and R v Mason,^[3] referred to by this Court in R v Robinson,^[4] do not persuasively support the 13 year term of imprisonment imposed on the appellant after an early plea of guilty to an ex officio indictment. Both those cases involved pleas of guilty but they preceded the 1997 amendments to the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) ("the Act")and the introduction of the Act, Pt 9A – Convictions of Serious Violent Offences.

[2] [1998] 2 Qd R 498; [1997] QCA 270.

[3] [1997] QCA 67.

[4] [2007] QCA 349.

4. The circumstances in Coghlan had some similarity to the present case. Coghlan forced open a locked door of the complainant’s unit. He demanded drugs and money. He tried to choke her, dragged her by the hair from room to room looking for money, licked her breasts, bit her, placed frozen meat on her nipples and raped her (apparently penile vaginal rape) three times. She escaped. A neighbour who pursued and confronted Coghlan was knocked down and kicked, suffering a laceration to the eyelid which required suturing. Coghlan had a dysfunctional and disadvantaged background. He had some criminal history for property and drug offences. He expressed remorse and pleaded guilty. He was intoxicated by alcohol and marijuana. He was 21 at the time he committed the offences. A psychiatric report suggested that he fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of substance abuse disorder and anti-social personality disorder. The effect of the offending on the complainant was said by the sentencing judge to be “devastating”. This Court considered that the sentence imposed (14 years imprisonment with a parole recommendation after six years) was within range; Pt 9A of the Act did not apply because the offences occurred before it came into operation on 1 July 1997.

5. Mason was a case perhaps even more disturbing than the present. It was heard and determined by this Court in March 1997, again before Part 9A came into effect. Mason was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on his plea of guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, rape, disablement to commit an indictable offence and robbery. No recommendation for early parole eligibility was made. Mason was 35 years old and had an extensive criminal history including for offences of violence in respect of his de facto wife and three young children. He knew the complainant and that she was a homosexual woman. They were not on good terms but he persuaded her to let him into her house one evening, claiming that he wished to apologise following his release from prison. He then assaulted her violently by gouging her eyes. He held a knife against her throat. He dragged her around her home. She begged him to let her go, offering him money. He responded “You’re going to get it up you now you lesbian slut”. He made degrading comments to her and forced her to take off her clothes. He dug his fingers into her eyes and said he would pull her eyeballs out. He forced her to have penile-vaginal sexual intercourse with him. He wrapped a tea towel around her throat and began to choke her until she lost consciousness. When she awoke he was standing over her and kicking her. He demanded money. Ultimately she gave him $120. He again choked her and she lost consciousness. She next awoke to find him pulling her into the hallway by her hair and forcing her into the shower. He left through the front door and threatened to kill her if she did not leave town, adding: “Rockhampton was not a gay person’s town”. The cord to her telephone was cut. She suffered physical injuries including a knife cut on her back but much more severe were her psychological injuries for which she required therapy and counselling. Mason provided a false alibi to police and declined to be interviewed. He pleaded guilty only after DNA evidence implicating him had been obtained. His plea of guilty cannot be compared to the early plea of guilty to an ex officio indictment in the present case. The sentence imposed in Mason of 14 years imprisonment with no recommendation for parole eligibility at that time meant that he was eligible for release on parole after serving seven years. This Court refused to interfere with the sentence imposed.

6. Early pleas of guilty by way of an ex officio indictment are an important mitigating factor, especially in cases of this sort. The complainant has been saved the further trauma of giving evidence, both at committal and at trial. The community has been saved very considerable expense. Early ex officio pleas of guilty are also encouraging signs that offenders, in admitting their wrongdoing, are taking the first steps towards rehabilitation. There is reason to think that is so in this case. On the other hand, the appellant’s conduct was inarguably horrific. It warranted a salutary penalty.

7. It was not, however, as serious as the conduct in R v Spoehr^[5] where a 14 year term of imprisonment was imposed following a plea of guilty. Spoehr committed seven counts of rape and one count each of assault with intent to rape, deprivation of liberty and sexual assault on a 29 year old Japanese tourist who was walking in the Noosa National Park at 3 pm on Christmas Day. He attacked her with a stick. He was also armed with a 10 cm bladed knife which he later used to cut off her clothing. He shaved her pubic hair with a razor. He had penile-vaginal sexual intercourse culminating in ejaculation with her on three occasions. He twice performed oral sex on her. He inserted his fingers in her vagina. He forced her to touch his penis until he ejaculated on three occasions. He held her as a sexual prisoner in his tent in a secreted location in the National Park from about 3 pm on Christmas Day until 5.45 am on Boxing Day when he finally assisted her to find her way to safety. The complainant suffered particularly dreadful consequences from the offence because for cultural reasons she had been unable to share her ordeal with those closest to her. Psychiatric reports regarded him as “an eccentric loner who has, using the DSM-IV,^[6]a diagnosis of a schizotypal or and paranoid personality disorder”.

[5] [2003] QCA 412.

[6]           The DSM-IV is the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and is a coding system for all mental disorders.

8. Had the appellant pleaded not guilty, a sentence of 15 or even 16 years imprisonment could have been imposed: cf R v Robinson;^[7] and R v Barclay.^[8] The facts in these cases and in R v Edwards^[9] are set out in Cullinane J’s reasons. Barclay, who received 15 years imprisonment for a series of broadly comparable degrading sexual offences, went to trial and he had a prior conviction for rape. Edwards, who received 15 years imprisonment on a plea of guilty, was also more serious case than the present in that he was on parole for malicious wounding when he committed sordid sexual offences on his pregnant victim who had been asleep in bed in her own home.

[7] [2007] QCA 349.

[8] [1999] QCA 457.

[9] [2004] QCA 20.

9. A discount in this case of but two or three years on a 15 or 16 year sentence does not provide sufficient recognition of, or encouragement to, offenders like the appellant to admit their wrongdoing at an early stage by pleading guilty to an ex officio indictment. This was an appealable error warranting this Court's intervention. A sentence of 12 years imprisonment, which reflects a discount on the head sentence of three or four years for his early plea and cooperation and which provides for parole eligibility after 9.6 years,^[10]more appropriately balances the competing sentencing principles apposite in this case.

[10]           Corrective Services Act 2006 (Qld), s 182(2)(a).

10. I would make the orders set out in paragraph [1] of these reasons.

11. MACKENZIE AJA: I agree with the reasons of Cullinane J. I only wish to add the following.

12. Mr Greggery submitted that there was a clear differentiation in the authorities, reflected in the level of penalties, between cases where penile rape had occurred and cases where the offence was rape because it fell within the extended modern definition.

13. It may be that a generalisation can be made that cases can be identified where it is said that the fact that only non-penile rape has occurred resulted in a lesser penalty. But because it is a generalisation it is not universally applicable. R v Webb^[11] is such a case; but what McPherson JA said was said against a factual background that did not include significant violence. While the nature of the sexual conduct is a factor to be taken into account, the facts of the particular case and the overall criminality must always govern the seriousness of the offence.

[11] [2004] QCA 448

14. In the present case, there was no count that charged a penile vaginal or anal rape. However, there were four counts alleging that the complainant was forced to commit fellatio on the applicant, two of which resulted in ejaculation in her mouth. One of the counts of unlawful and indecent assault consisted of the applicant trying to insert his penis into the complainant’s vagina but failing because he could not maintain an erection. He inserted something, probably his finger, into her anus. As well as other acts of a sexual nature, he also committed sundry degrading acts on her with overtones of sadistic pleasure over her reaction. She understandably feared for her life during the course of the episode.

15. All of these offences occurred over a period of several hours, commencing in the early hours of the morning while she was kept captive by the applicant at his isolated house. The complainant had travelled from the town where she lived with friends to other towns some distance away. The person upon whom she was relying to drive her home abandoned the journey because he believed his car was likely to break down and let her off in a small town on the way. She began to walk to a place where she thought she might get a lift from a passing driver and while she was walking there, the applicant asked her if she needed help. After he said things from which it was reasonable to infer that he was well intentioned and that she would come to no harm, she accepted a lift and then his offer of refreshments at his house. He said he would drive her back to the town where he had picked her up afterwards.

16. After a relatively short time at his house she said that she was ready to go. He invited her to stay for the night but she said that she wanted to go home. He said that he would not give her a lift. She then walked out of the house but he followed and said that he would give her the lift.

17. She noticed that his demeanour had changed and he grabbed her arm. Then he hit her more than once on the head with a piece of wood that was like an axe-handle in size. When she asked why he was doing it he said:

“This is rape.”

He then dragged her into the house where over the next few hours he inflicted on her the treatment previously described. During the course of the activity, he reduced her to captivity by tying her hands. For part of the time the rope was also tied to the head of the bed.

18. Unlike the offender in R v Spoehr,^[12] he did not relent and let her go. It was only due to her seizing an opportunity, after daylight had broken, to leave the house while his attention was distracted that she made her escape. Even then he unsuccessfully pursued her until it became obvious that she had made good her escape.

[12] [2003] QCA 412

19. The Crown Prosecutor at sentence submitted that the appropriate range for the offending displayed in the case was between 14 to 16 years imprisonment. In my view the facts of the case place it towards the upper end of that range as a starting point before allowing for matters of mitigation. In submissions before this Court, counsel for the respondent drew attention to the similarities between the present case and Spoehr in which a sentence of 14 years following a plea of guilty was not disturbed on appeal. One feature which counted in Spoehr’s favour that is absent in this case has been referred to above. On the other hand, unlike the present applicant, Spoehr engaged in a number of acts of penile intercourse and his offending related to a visitor to Australia whose cultural background resulted in what were described as catastrophic consequences for her.

20. Since the sentence is more than 10 years imprisonment, it carries with it an automatic declaration that the offence is a serious violent offence and therefore a requirement to serve 80% of the sentence. To allow the applicant proper allowance for his plea of guilty in a case in this category, a reduction in the notional head sentence is the only way in which that can be achieved. In my view a reduction of the head sentence from what would have been merited, in the range of 15-16 years had the matter gone to trial, to 13 years did not make adequate allowance for the plea of guilty.

21. I agree with Cullinane J that the application for leave to appeal should be allowed, and with the orders proposed.

22. CULLINANE J: The applicant seeks leave to appeal against a sentence of 13 years imprisonment imposed in respect of five counts of rape. He had pleaded guilty to an ex-officio indictment containing those counts as well as five counts of sexual assault, one count of assault with intent to rape, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, one count of deprivation of liberty and to two summary charges of possessing a dangerous drug, cannabis sativa, and possessing instructions for production of cannabis sativa. 177 days spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served under the sentence.

23. At about 1 am one Saturday morning, the complainant, a woman in her thirties, was walking along a highway in North Queensland. She accepted a lift from the applicant, who persuaded her to accompany him to his home on a rural property, promising that he would drive her to her destination after he had had some tea. When she attempted to leave the house, the applicant twice struck her about the head with a piece of wood, causing bleeding (the assault occasioning bodily harm while armed count). He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back inside, where he forced her on to a bed and removed her clothes (the assault with intent to rape and the commencement of the deprivation of liberty). The complainant was so frightened that she involuntarily urinated.

24. The applicant tied the complainant’s hands to the bed head with a rope, and lay on her, rubbing his penis on her vaginal area. Then he used the rope to pull her onto the floor where he put his penis into her mouth and forced her to perform oral sex on him (the first rape count), slapping her across the face repeatedly when she faltered. He then returned her to the bed where he lay on her again and fondled her. He bit her left breast (the first sexual assault) slapped her a number of times and covered her mouth and nose so she found it difficult to breathe. He made her lick his neck, squeezing her right breast hard (the second sexual assault) when he was not satisfied, before again forcing her to perform oral sex on him (the second rape count). Then he dragged her by the rope to a shower where he made her perform oral sex upon him again (the third rape) after which he urinated on her. She was then dragged back again by the rope to the bed where the applicant tried unsuccessfully to penetrate her vagina with his penis (the third sexual assault).

25. The applicant fell asleep briefly, but awoke when the complainant tried to move. He told her she was not going anywhere pulled her on to the floor on to her knees and made her perform oral sex on him again, ejaculating into her mouth (the fourth rape). She was made to get back on the bed where the applicant told her to lick his neck (the fourth sexual assault). He fell asleep lying on her. When he awoke, he took the complainant into another room where he told her to lie on her stomach on a mattress and whipped her repeatedly on her buttocks (the fifth sexual assault). Then he held his hand over her mouth while he inserted something into her anus, which he moved in and out, causing her a great deal of pain (the fifth rape). He told her that he was going to “keep her” and that as long as she did as he said, she would be fine.

26. After the anal penetration, the applicant left the complainant alone while he went into another room. By this time day was breaking. She took the opportunity to free her hands from the rope and to run from the house. The applicant pursued her, but she managed to reach a neighbouring house where the occupants took her in and telephoned the police.

27. Over the hours during which the applicant held the complainant against her will he repeatedly struck her and abused her verbally. It is clear from her statement that she feared throughout that she would be killed. The complainant was examined later the same day. Her hair was matted with blood and she had areas of lacerations and swelling on her head. There were marks on her chest consistent with bites, abrasions on the wrists consistent with rope burns and multiple abrasions and bruises of her arms, knees and buttocks. The examining doctor found a three millimetre tear to her perianal region consistent with stretching.

28. The applicant was 51 years old at the time of sentence. He had worked in the past as a labourer and had then acquired a small farming property on which he ran some cattle and pigs. His counsel said that he had difficulties controlling his alcohol use and on the night in question had been drinking at a hotel. His only previous criminal history in Queensland consisted of convictions on a single occasion in the Magistrates Court for producing and possessing dangerous drugs, for which he was fined $300. He had a history of similar, minor drug-related offences in Western Australia in the 1980s. He had indicated an early intention to plead guilty and his co-operation was further evinced by his plea to an ex-officio indictment. Through his counsel he expressed some shame at his conduct. His counsel submitted that the starting point for a head sentence was 15 years imprisonment and that that might be reduced to 12 years to reflect his co-operation.

29. The learned sentencing Judge accurately described the offences as “a shocking and horrible and prolonged series of violent and sexual assaults”. The treatment of the complainant had been particularly degrading and humiliating and the applicant had not desisted; even when the complainant fled, he pursued her. Her Honour accepted in the applicant’s favour that he had co-operated by indicating his intention to plead guilty at an early stage and by not challenging the complainant’s account. The learned judge had regard to three authorities to which the Crown prosecutor referred her which are also relied on here: R v Barclay,^[13] R v Edwards^[14] and R v Robinson^[15].

[13] [1999] QCA 457.

[14] [2004] QCA 20.

[15] [2007] QCA 349.

30. In R v Barclay the appellant was convicted of two counts of rape, one of indecent assault and one of assault occasioning bodily harm. He had attacked a sleeping woman with whom he was slightly acquainted. He punched her, bit her, gouged her eyes and squeezed his hands around her throat before raping her; after which he restrained her for some hours before raping her again. Throughout the episode he threatened to kill her. He was a 39 year old man with previous convictions including one for rape some 20 years earlier. Unlike the applicant here, he had pleaded not guilty. A sentence of 15 years imprisonment was not disturbed on appeal.

31. In R v Edwards the applicant sought an extension of time in which to appeal against his sentence of 15 years imprisonment imposed, apparently on a plea of guilty, in respect of three counts of rape. He had been given lesser sentences for other counts, one of burglary, nine of sexual assault and one of attempted rape. At the time those offences were committed he was on parole in respect of a four year sentence imposed for malicious wounding. All of the offences had occurred in a single episode. He had broken and entered the house of a pregnant woman who was asleep at the time. He had grabbed her around the throat, performed oral sex on her and made her perform oral sex on him on a number of occasions. He attempted anal intercourse unsuccessfully and then had vaginal intercourse with her. She had said that she thought she was miscarrying and asked him to call an ambulance; instead he forced her to have a bath in which he attempted to wash his semen out of her vagina. He threatened that he would kill her and her family if she revealed what had happened. The application for an extension of time was refused on the basis that there was no prospect of success in his appeal against sentence.

32. In R v Robinson the applicant was convicted after a trial of six counts of rape, one count of burglary, one count of deprivation of liberty and one of stealing. In respect of three of the rape counts, a sentence of 16 years imprisonment was imposed. The complainant was a 57 year old woman living alone. The applicant had entered her townhouse in the early hours of the morning and raped her digitally, orally and by penile penetration. After those assaults he forced her to take a shower to wash her vagina out. The applicant was 33 years of age at the date of the offences. He was a carrier of Hepatitis C but the complainant fortunately did not contract the disease from him. He had a criminal history which included a previous conviction for rape, for which, with related charges, he had served 12 years imprisonment. There was, the Court observed, no sign of remorse or obvious prospect of rehabilitation. It was argued on his behalf that other decisions did not support a range of sentence beyond 14 years imprisonment. The Court, however, citing R v Coghlan^[16] and R v Mason,^[17]observed that sentences of 14 years imprisonment had been upheld in cases where the offender had pleaded guilty. The application for leave to appeal against sentence was dismissed.

[16] [1998] 2 Qd R 498.

[17] [1997] QCA 67.

33. Before us counsel for the applicant contended that judgments of the Court of Appeal supported the proposition that offences involving penile-vaginal intercourse fall into a different category for the purposes of sentence to those involving digital or oral rape.

34. He placed reliance upon cases such as R v Robinson,^[18] R v Webb^[19] (in particular the remarks of McPherson JA at paragraph 25) and R v TM^[20].

[18] [2007] QCA 349.

[19] [2004] QCA 448.

[20] [2005] QCA 130.

35. Mr Greggery contended that in the case of the category of non-penile rape it was impossible to find any sentences which exceeded ten years. He submitted that a significant disparity had by now been established between the range of sentences imposed in the two categories with there being a difference of about six years.

36. I do not think that a reading of the cases supports the proposition that there is a rigid compartmentalisation of rape offences into these two categories. In all cases it is the particular circumstances which will determine the level of criminality and together with other factors the sentence to be imposed.

37. I think it can be accepted that as a general proposition that rape constituted by penile-vaginal or anal penetration will attract a higher sentence than rape cases involving digital or oral penetration. However there may be cases not involving penile penetration which because of their associated circumstances call for punishment which may be as great as or exceed cases involving penile penetration.

38. The cases to which we have been referred and the remarks upon which reliance has been placed must be seen in the context of their particular facts and must be taken as being concerned with those and have to be regarded as being concerned with those.

39. In addition to the reliance which the case of R v TM (supra) in support of the proposition just discussed, it is fair to say the counsel for the applicant focussed upon this case as one bearing considerable similarities to the present but which resulted in a significantly shorter sentence.

40. The applicant in that case pleaded guilty to a count of rape on Thursday Island in August 2003 which was constituted by a single act of digital penetration of the vagina of a sleeping woman. Whilst he was on bail for that offence he committed a second lot of offences which included torture and two acts of rape.

41. The complainant was a visitor from overseas in Australia on a working holiday and had commenced work at a business at which the applicant worked and had moved into accommodation at which the applicant was a caretaker. She and the applicant and another person had consumed some alcohol on the relevant evening and later the complainant went with the applicant back to his unit to watch a movie. A point was reached at which the complainant sought to leave in the face of advances made to her by the applicant. As she did so the applicant blocked her way and struck her twice with his fist. After she had cleaned herself up and was emerging from the bathroom he head butted her and grabbed her around the front of the neck and threatened to punch her again. He told her to take her underpants off and to get onto the bed and when she did so he tied her hands behind her back and her legs together with a tie between her feet and her hands. During this time he rubbed her breasts and penetrated her vagina with his finger. He repeated this shortly afterwards. Those acts constituted the first of the counts of rape. After taking photographs of her with a camera he placed a pillowcase over her head and placed a gag on her and applied shaving cream to her pubic area and shaved it before taking some photographs of her. He performed oral sex upon her and while he was doing so penetrated her vagina with his finger. This constituted the second count of rape.

42. Later they both fell asleep and when the complainant woke the next morning she managed to free herself but found that she was dizzy and had difficulty standing up. The applicant woke and re-tied her. She was held for the whole of the following day. She was provided with food and water and escorted to the toilet but at all times had her hands tied. She was able to escape later that evening when the applicant fell asleep. In all she was held captive for 26 hours. She sustained swelling and bruising to both eyes, a swollen nose and bruising and swelling to the left ear area. He had taken photographs of her while she was undergoing the ordeal.

43. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the first rape and a term of eight years imprisonment to be served cumulatively on the term of three years.

44. The appeal was allowed but only to the extent of altering the total imprisonment so as to achieve the aim which the learned sentencing judge had intended and to accord with the principles which are applicable in relation to the declaration which he had made unders.161 of the Penalties and Sentences Act but which had not been adverted to. To do this the imprisonment for the torture count was reduced to seven years.

45. Counsel for the respondent submitted that the present case was remarkable for the level of violence and savagery inflicted upon the complainant and her degradation over a long period of time.

46. He contended that the case which bore the greatest similarity to the present was R v Spoehr^[21].

[21] [2003] QCA 412.

47. The applicant in that case was walking in a national park on Christmas Day and became lost. She encountered the applicant who she sought directions from. After walking together for a period he struck her over the head with a stick a number of times and she began to lose consciousness. The respondent dragged her some distance to a campsite where he had a tent. He repeatedly raped her (in the sense of penetrating her vagina with his penis) through the evening and had committed the sexual offence upon her.

48. He ultimately led her to a point where she could safely exit the national park and go back to her hotel where she made a complaint. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 14 years and an application for leave to appeal was refused.

49. It is undoubtedly the case that each of these cases provide some support for the submissions on sentence by counsel.

50. However the relevant range is to be established by reference to the body of cases overall and by a comparison of the criminality involved.

51. A number of these were referred to the learned sentencing judge and have been discussed in these reasons. A number of additional cases were referred to by each of the parties on the appeal.

52. For my part I would not be prepared to hold that the learned sentencing judge erred in concluding that the range for the type of offending involved in this case would be some 14 to 16 years imprisonment.

53. In my view the matter must fall below the range referred to by Keane JA in R v Robinson (supra) at paragraph 27 where he said that the range for serious sexual offences of this kind for somebody with a history of serious sexual violence found guilty after a trial of multiple rapes would be in the order of 15 to 20 years.

54. As I have said the conduct in this case involved brutal and degrading treatment of the complainant with some features which could be described as sadistic.

55. Nonetheless the applicant was entitled to a significant discount on the authorities for his plea of guilty on an ex officio indictment and the associated remorse.

56. Ultimately I am persuaded that the sentence of 13 years imprisonment does not adequately allow for these factors.

57. I would grant the application and allow the app
58. Citation report

Full report:	View this article in the Jade Citator
Citations:	[2008] QCA 172
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Citation counts:
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1. Litigation history

Event		Collection	Date	Determination/status
R v Wark   [2008] QCA 172		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	26 Jun 2008
R v Walker   [2008] QCA 166		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	19 Jun 2008

1. Cases citing this decision

Name		Court	Date	Citations
R v Buchanan [2016] QCA 33		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	22 Feb 2016	2 citations
R v GAR [2014] QCA 30		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	27 Feb 2014	2 citations
R v Turnbull [2013] QCA 374		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	12 Dec 2013	10 citations
R v Dargin [2013] QCA 20		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	14 Feb 2013	3 citations
R v Benjamin [2012] QCA 188; (2012) 224 A Crim R 40		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	12 Jul 2012	1 citation
R v BBY [2011] QCA 69		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	14 Apr 2011	2 citations
R v Baxter [2010] QCA 235		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	02 Sep 2010	1 citation
R v. Colless [2010] QCA 26; [2011] 2 Qd R 421		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	22 Feb 2010	2 citations
R v AAH & AAG [2009] QCA 321		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	22 Oct 2009	4 citations
R v Ware [2009] QCA 106		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	27 Apr 2009	5 citations

1. Cases cited by this decision

Name		Court	Date	Citations
R v Robinson [2007] QCA 349		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	18 Oct 2007	10 citations
The Queen v Riley [2006] NTCCA 10; (2006) 161 A Crim R 414		Supreme Court of the Northern Territory - Court of Criminal Appeal	06 Jun 2006	3 citations
R v TM [2005] QCA 130		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	28 Apr 2005	3 citations
R v Webb [2004] QCA 448		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	25 Nov 2004	5 citations
R v Edwards [2004] QCA 20		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	10 Feb 2004	6 citations
R v Spoehr [2003] QCA 412		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	15 Sep 2003	10 citations
R v Barclay [1999] QCA 457		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	02 Dec 1999	6 citations
R v Coghlan [1997] QCA 270; [1998] 2 Qd R 498		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	04 Sep 1997	6 citations
R v Mason [1997] QCA 67		Supreme Court of Queensland - Court of Appeal	18 Mar 1997	7 citations

1. Legislation cited by this decision

Name		Citations
Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (QLD)		7 citations: Part 9A, Section 161

Government renews Police Commissioner's contract

UPDATED MON AUG 13 2012

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-13/government-decides-on-police-commissioner/4195662

Karl O'Callaghan says the uncertainty has been distracting and he is keen to move forward.

ABC TV

The Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has been re-appointed for a third term.

State cabinet approved a three year contract this morning.

The Premier Colin Barnett says the re-appointment was made possible after the CCC cleared the Commissioner of any misconduct relating to the use of his credit card.

Mr Barnett says Mr O'Callaghan has the full support of the Cabinet.

He says he now wants the Commissioner to focus on healing divisions with the upper echelons of WA police.

"There's clearly been some issues in the senior levels of the Police Service," he said.

"He has to now pull that organisation together and make sure the nearly 6,000 policemen and women out there are doing their job, which they are, in fighting crime in this state."

Deep divisions were revealed after the executive director of WA Police, Greg Italiano, accused the Commissioner of lacking an 'ethical compass'.

He also told the CCC that other senior officers felt the same way.

Mr O'Callaghan says the uncertainty has been distracting and he is now keen to move forward.

"We're going to sit down and look at new ways of doing things," he said.

"I think the team's fairly energised."

Mr O'Callaghan hopes to fill senior police roles, including three assistant commissioners and a deputy commissioner, within a month.

Unsubstantiated allegations

Mr Italiano, who is on leave, had put in a submission to the CCC to say he stopped signing off on Mr O'Callaghan's credit card statements in October 2010 because he "no longer wished to be put in the position of having to approve his expenditure".

But, he could not recall any specific transactions that were clearly outside police policy.

The CCC concluded the allegations could not be substantiated.

Mr O'Callaghan said the CCC report has made him wary of getting too close to senior colleagues.

Last week, he said he had previously considered Mr Italiano a friend and was shell-shocked by the statements.

He declared their working relationship untenable.

"One of the problems with getting too close to people you work with in senior positions, is it's very easy to over trust them," he said.

"Once you start to trust people and you distance yourself from, I suppose, a more inquisitorial style and you leave people to go about their business, then you can end up with something like this.

"My feeling is I've been kicked in the guts by someone who I've worked closely with for a very long time," he said.

Mr O'Callaghan had said their working relationship cannot continue.

"I don't know what his motive was but it would seem a very strange thing to do," he said.

"I mean if you make a complaint that there are concerns about somebody's corporate card expenditure, and you go before an inquiry, you would expect to have one or two examples."

Mr O'Callaghan says anti-social behaviour and alcohol abuse are among the top priorities for his third term.

10 Craziest Drugs You've Never Heard Of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goXMFjv1afY

1. Scopolamine
2. Dipped
3.  Bromo Dragon Fly
4. DMHT
5. Yage
6. Crockdile
7. JenKem, made from Human Fecies
8. Benzo Fury
9. Freon
10. Etorphne

The Dangerous Story of Crystal Meth

Crystal meth: The side effects of Breaking Bad in Ireland

“Crystal meth has ravaged whole communities in the US and the same is happening in Ireland,” said Fr Peter McVerry.

 

Crystal Meth increases the amount of Dober Mine going to the brain by up to 3 times

This guy Ricci Ross was selling drugs, cocaine etc for the CIA $2-3 million a week and some days $2-3 million a day income for the CIA

Robert Bonner head of the Drug USA Enforcement  Agency says that the CIA and USA Government are in partnership with the Contras to bring Cocaine and

The CIA are major Drug dealer, with the co-operation of the USA Government and the banks were all the illegal drug money is laundered

Robert Steel was a top CIA Agent says that the poor people are the ones that suffer while the banks help to launder the money from the sales of illegal sales of drugs, who make the money form illegal drugs

The drug war is being uses against poor people with the help of bakers who lauder the money

Drug companies  makes the key ingredient to make Crystal Meth, this drug companies are getting about 10% to 30% of the profits on the world wide sale of Crystal Meth..

Illegal drug dealers selling marijuana will try and sell their customers hard drugs such as Crystal Meth,

Ice Effex

A new app lets you see what you’d look like if you decided to start a fairly major crystal meth habit. Essentially you would look withered, ill and covered in sores, as meth will absolutely fuck you up.

http://www.unilad.co.uk/drugs/new-app-shows-devastating-effect-of-crystal-meth-on-your-face/

Meth is Death  Say No To Drugs

Published on Apr 20, 2015

Meth is Death ( How To Make Crystal Meth ) - Say No To Drugs

Description : 

Crystal meth is short for crystal methamphetamine. It is just one form of the drug methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is a white crystalline drug that people take by snorting it (inhaling through the nose), smoking it or injecting it with a needle. Some even take it orally, but all develop a strong desire to continue using it because the drug creates a false sense of happiness and well-being—a rush (strong feeling) of confidence, hyperactiveness and energy. One also experiences decreased appetite. These drug effects generally last from six to eight hours, but can last up to twenty-four hours.

The first experience might involve some pleasure, but from the start, methamphetamine begins to destroy the user’s life.


Reference : 
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfact...

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Top 10 Deadliest Street Drugs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX-D_k-GL2A

1. Scopolamine ...

http://www.thejournal.ie/crystal-meth-ireland-930063-Jun2013/

New App Shows Devastating Effect Of Crystal Meth On Your Face

BY : JAMIE ROBERTS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVWIpjhbcbk

Meth has been around on the back street  from the 1950’s … but the use of common cold tablets to make meth came popular …

You would think they would not do stupid stuff like this. Notice the equipment he is using has been used before. He probably makes it all the time and sells it on the side. lol Just think about the tax dollars he wasted in doing this and for paying for the disposal of this hazardous waste. He has become an expert in the very thing he is trying to stop. Then he makes a video of it? I would never post videos about how to make drugs or do other illegal things. This I just had to post. Straight from the oppressive source. It doesn't get any better than this. Law enforcement with the cooperation of the stupid media are the ones the blew up this epidemic. If a cop wanted to provoke citizens and even children to make meth, I don't think he could do a better job than this. Only in Amerika

Stronger drugs, population growth taking toll on South West support services

By Roxanne Taylor 28 Jul 2016,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-28/stronger-drugs-taking-toll-on-south-west-services/7656212

PHOTO: Josh Princi says his son Blayze was the wake-up call he needed to kick his meth habit. (ABC News: Roxanne Taylor)

An increase in the potency of methamphetamine is straining counselling and treatment services in WA's South-West, according to drug addiction experts.

"I've got nothing now, I'm 31 and starting again, there'd be 12-year-old kids that have got more than me," Mr Princi said.

"A lot of our domestic violence assaults, a lot of our volume crime, stealing and burglaries and damage, all relate back to methamphetamine use so yes it is one of our big issues."

The problem is being exacerbated by a rapidly growing population, and in response the South West Community Drug Service Team is being forced to expand its outreach programs to towns in the region.

Team manager of the drug service Jon Farr said Margaret River was the first to receive the additional services due to a big spike in demand.

"The demand is reflected in a 43 per cent increase in episodes of treatment dating back from 2014 to where we are currently," he said.

"And that's across the board in all substances."

Mr Farr said an increase in the strength of drugs was affecting the number of addicts seeking treatment.

"This appears to be more related to the increase in the potency of the drug, and the amount that those who are taking the drug are using, as opposed to more people actually using the drug," Mr Farr said.

Ice user kicks habit for young son

Local resident Josh Princi knows first hand how tough quitting methamphetamine can be.

He began using the drug at 18, and at the peak of his addiction was spending up to $700 a day to support his habit.

"I've relapsed probably hundreds of times but now I'm on the right track and I'm happy where I'm at," Mr Princi said.

"I've gone from being an every day user to not using at all."

Mr Princi spent time in jail for drug trafficking before his young son Blayze, who is now in his care, gave him the wake-up call he needed to leave his old life behind.

"I've got nothing now, I'm 31 and starting again, there'd be 12-year-old kids that have got more than me," Mr Princi said.

Mr Princi believed a residential rehabilitation service was needed in the South West.

"You need a minimum of seven days to dry out and then a program to follow that on. There really isn't anything," he said.

The Drug Service Team has plans to roll out additional counselling services to the towns of Busselton and Collie next.

Police struggle with flow-on effects of ice use

Meanwhile police are trying to tackle the issue on the street.

Margaret River Police Sergeant Brett Cassidy said there were a lot of flow-on affects from drug use.

"A lot of our domestic violence assaults, a lot of our volume crime, stealing and burglaries and damage, all relate back to methamphetamine use so yes it is one of our big issues."

Sergeant Cassidy said drug-induced mental health incidents were taking their toll on small policing teams in regional towns.

"When we have a mental health incident, where we end up at the hospital, we can be at the hospital for some hours," he said.

Sergeant Cassidy said officers had to drive mental health patients to the special ward at Bunbury Regional Hospital more than an hour away.

"By the time you get there you're looking at around between three and five hours with each case that you deal with so it does impact a lot."

Topics: drug-use, drugs-and-substance-abuse, drug-education, margaret-river-6285

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-24/recivering-meth-addict-josh-princi-and-son-blayze/7656326

Recovering meth addict Josh Princi and son Blayze

Updated 28 Jul 2016, 2:48am

Josh Princi says his son Blayze was the wake-up call he needed to kick his meth habit.

ABC News: Roxanne Taylor

WA methylamphetamine purity at highest level  30^th December, 2016

By Tom Wildie  30^th December, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-30/big-rise-in-methamphetamine-purity-in-wa/8154472

The purity of methylamphetamine in WA is at the highest level ever recorded, prompting a warning from health authorities.

The State Government's chemical analyst, ChemCentre, said testing had shown a dramatic increase in the purity of the drug over the past 18 months.

ChemCentre illicit drug laboratory team leader Lecinda Collins-Brown said the agency tested more than 8,000 samples of illicit substances submitted by police this year.

"In 2010 the average purity was approximately 30 per cent for methylamphetamines," she said.

"Since then it has been steadily increasing and in 2014, the average methylamphetamine purity in samples that we were analysing here at ChemCentre was approximately 60 per cent.

"In the past 18 months that has increased again to approximately 75 per cent."

Ms Collins-Brown said the increase was probably a reflection of market demand for the drug.

"If drug users are wanting better-quality drugs and dealers can supply those drugs, then the average purity of seized drugs is likely to increase," she said.

Consequences could be death: ChemCentre

St John Ambulance asked revellers to take responsibility for their actions this New Year's Eve after recording a spike in meth-related incidents in November, with expectations December's levels would be similar.

"Last month we saw a 30 per cent increase in the use of methylamphetamine or people affected by methylamphetamine, leading to aggression, motor vehicle accidents, trauma which could have really being avoided," St John Ambulance general manager James Sherriff said.

ChemCentre has warned users it is impossible to know the purity of a drug by looking at it, as the powders are visually indistinguishable.

"If an individual was to consume same amount of each powder the effect is going to be significantly different," Ms Collins-Brown said.

"The consequences of that could be catastrophic, the person could become quite unwell or even die."

Mr Sherriff said changes to the chemical compound of meth was a factor in the number of incidents recorded in November.

"People who have taken it in the past and are used to taking it in the past are taking the drug like they used to take it, and it has really critical and adverse affects," he said.

Topics: drugs-and-substance-abuse, police, community-and-society, wa

Crystal methamphetamine or 'ice'" 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-30/crystal-methamphetamine-ice/8154602

Crystal methamphetamine or 'ice'  30 Dec 2016, 8:26am

The purity of methamphetamine in WA has jumped to 75 per cent on average.

Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission Parliamentary Inspector’s report on misconduct and related issues in the Corruption and Crime Commission

http://www.piccc.wa.gov.au/_files/JSC_Report.pdf

Committee Members Chairman Hon. Nick Goiran, BCom, LLB, MLC Member for the South Metropolitan Region Deputy Chairman Mr Peter Watson, MLA Member for Albany Members Hon. Adele Farina, BA, LLB, MLC Member for the South West Region Mr Nathan Morton, BSc, GradDipEd, MLA Member for Forrestfield

Committee Staff Principal Research Officer Dr David Worth, DipAeroEng, MBA, PhD Research Officer Ms Jovita Hogan, BA (Hons)

Legislative Assembly Tel: (08) 9222 7469 Parliament House Fax: (08) 9222 7804 Harvest Terrace Email: jscccc@parliament.wa.gov.au PERTH WA 6000 Website: www.parliament.wa.gov.au/jscccc

Published by the Parliament of Western Australia, Perth. June 2015. ISBN: 978-1-925116-00-7 (Series: Western Australia. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Committees. Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission. Report 19) 328.365

Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission Parliamentary Inspector’s report on misconduct and related issues in the Corruption and Crime Commission

Report No. 19 Presented by Hon Nick Goiran, MLC and Mr Peter Watson, MLA Laid on the Table of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council on 17 June 2015

Chairman’s Foreword his is an important and timely report prepared by the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission (PICCC), Hon Michael Murray QC, for Parliament on a number of serious allegations of misconduct made against officers of the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC).

 These allegations centre on the former Operational Support Unit (OSU) at the CCC.

The PICCC’s report outlines 23 allegations of misconduct that have been made and investigated by WA Police (WAPOL).

This has been a very serious situation, if for no other reason than because the Commission is the key agency in the State’s integrity framework.

 It is understandable that the PICCC describes the allegations as “among the most worrying allegations I have encountered in the short time I have been in office”.

The Committee first became aware of the allegations in September 2013 and since then has been kept informed of developments by the PICCC and has also gathered information during closed hearings with the PICCC, the CCC and WAPOL.

The fact that these allegations are in relation to a number of individuals within the State’s highest integrity body is a timely reminder that whenever greater power and discretion is granted to one or more individuals, it is essential that it is offset by a proportionate increase in the oversight of them. The PICCC provided this report to the Committee on 10 June 2015 after receiving a comprehensive report from WAPOL on 27 March 2015.

In the intervening period the PICCC provided a draft copy of his report under section 200 of the CCC Act to the CCC and five individuals named in the report who are no longer employed by the Commission.

They were given an opportunity to make representations to the PICCC about the report before he provided it to the Committee.

The Committee has faced serious time constraints in reporting to Parliament on this report from the PICCC.

The Houses are due to rise shortly for the Winter Recess. The Committee has not had sufficient time to consider in detail the three recommendations made by the PICCC and the implications of the proposed changes to the Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003.

The Committee makes no comment on these recommendations but has recommended to the Attorney General that the Government provide a response to them.

I thank the Parliamentary Inspector, Hon Michael Murray for his work in compiling this report, noting his stated intention to table further supplementary reports in due course. I also thank the PICCC’s Executive Assistant, Mr Murray Alder, and the CCC’s Commissioners that have provided information to the Committee over the past T 18 months: former-Commissioner Roger Macknay QC and Acting Commissioners Neil Douglas and Christopher Shanahan SC.

I would like to thank my fellow Committee Members for their input on this report; the Committee’s Deputy Chairman, the Member for Albany, Mr Peter Watson MLA; the Member for Forrestfield, Mr Nathan Morton MLA, and the Member for the South West Region, Hon Adele Farina MLC.

The Committee members were ably supported by the Committee’s Secretariat, Dr David Worth and Ms Jovita Hogan.

HON NICK GOIRAN, MLC CHAIRMAN

Contents Ministerial Response i Findings and Recommendations iii

1 Overview of PICCC’s investigation of allegations against CCC staff 1 Introduction 1 Advice from the PICCC 2 Information provided to the Committee by the CCC Commissioners 5 Hearing with WAPOL 7 The PICCC’s recommendations 8

Conclusion 8 Appendices 11 1 Parliamentary Inspector’s Report 11 1. PURPOSE 11 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 Recommendations 13 3.

THE OSU 13 4.

THE ALLEGATIONS 15 5.

MANAGEMENT OF THE INVESTIGATION PROCESSES 17

The Commission’s internal misconduct investigations 17 My referral of allegations to the Police 17

The position adopted by the Commission 18 6.

THE POLICE INVESTIGATIONS 26 7.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 28 8.

 THE COMMISSION’S COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE 33

Recommendations 35 9.

GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES 35

The Commission’s new model 35

Some final conclusions 37 2

Committee’s functions and powers 39

Ministerial Response

 In accordance with Standing Order 277(1) of the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly, the Committee directs that the Minister representing the Attorney General report to the Assembly as to the action, if any, proposed to be taken by the Government with respect to the recommendations of the Committee.

Findings and Recommendations Finding 1 Page 8

The Parliamentary Inspector has recommended three amendments be made to the Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003.

Recommendation 1 Page 8

The Attorney General report to Parliament as to the action, if any, proposed to be taken by the Government with respect to the three recommendations made by the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission.

Chapter 1

Overview of PICCC’s investigation of allegations against CCC staff …among the most worrying allegations I have encountered in the short time I have been in office … Hon Michael Murray QC, Parliamentary Inspector of the CCC.

Introduction

This report by the Joint Standing Committee provides the Parliament with an important and timely report prepared by the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission (PICCC), Hon Michael Murray QC, on allegations of misconduct made against officers of the Corruption and Crime Commission (see Appendix A).

The PICCC has provided this report to the Committee under sections 199 and 201 of the Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003.

 The PICCC was notified by the Corruption and Crime Commission’s (CCC) thenCommissioner Roger Macknay QC of the first of these allegations in July 2013. The total number of allegations that have now been made is 23.1 Their investigation has taken a significant effort and considerable resources over nearly two years by the PICCC, CCC staff and senior WA Police (WAPOL) officers.

The matter of the number allegations of misconduct that have been made is very serious as the Commission is the key agency in the State’s integrity framework.

The investigations of the allegations by the PICCC has been complicated by the limitations imposed on him by the CCC Act. His decision to hand the investigations to WAPOL has created significant tension between the agencies given the important role the Commission has in oversighting the actions of WAPOL officers. The investigations were further complicated as some of the allegations involved covert CCC staff, many of whom were ex-police officers.

 Information about the investigations, the PICCC’s reporting of them in his annual report, the CCC’s response2 , and the charging of ex-CCC staff with offences have all  been reported in the local media.3 Public comment on the investigation has been wideranging and has involved senior Government officials such as the Premier, Hon Colin Barnett MLA, “[b]ut it is a somewhat bizarre situation Gary, isn’t it, when you’ve got a Corruption and Crime Commission primarily there to oversight the police. And at the same time now we’ve got the police investigating staff members within the CCC.” 4

The PICCC provided this report to the Committee on 10 June 2015 after receiving a comprehensive report from the WAPOL on 27 March 2015 on their investigation of the allegations. In the intervening period the PICCC provided a draft copy of his report under section 200 of the CCC Act to the CCC and five individuals named in the report who are no longer employed by the Commission. They were given an opportunity of making representations to the PICCC about the report before he provided it to the Committee. 5

The Committee has faced serious time constraints in reporting to Parliament on this report from the PICCC. The Legislative Assembly is due to rise on 25 June 2015 for the Winter Recess while the Legislative Council is undertaking its Estimates hearings on the 2015-16 State Budget until the 26 June 2015. The Committee has not had sufficient time to consider in detail the three recommendations made by the PICCC and the implications of the proposed changes to the CCC Act. The Committee makes no comment on these recommendations but has recommended to the Attorney General that the Government provide a response to them.

Given the seriousness of the allegations and the Committee’s established convention to table reports from the PICCC within 30 days6 , it has resolved to accede to the PICCC’s request to table the report as expeditiously as possible. The request for the urgent tabling of this report has also been supported by the CCC Commissioner.7

Advice from the PICCC

The PICCC initially wrote confidentially to the Committee’s Chairman on 13 September 2013 about the allegations of misconduct within the Operational Support Unit (OSU) at the CCC. He provided copies of letters from then-Commissioner Macknay QC about the matter. The PICCC also certified, pursuant to s208(5)(b) of the CCC Act, that in his view it was necessary in the public interest that the information and attachments he provided could be disclosed on a confidential basis solely with the other members of the Committee.8 While the PICCC had been advised by the CCC of the first allegation on 18 July 2013, he wrote later to the Committee in September 2013 as:

My concern, of course, is that the diversity of the allegations now made may reveal a serious problem of systemic corruption within the Commission, or parts of it, but, hopefully, that may prove not to be the case. I will keep you informed, confidentially unless it comes to be a matter requiring a Report to the Committee.9

 The PICCC subsequently undertook to keep the Committee regularly apprised of developments in the investigation.

The Committee was provided by the PICCC with an update on progress and copies of relevant correspondence on:

• 13 September 2013;

• 29 October 2013;

• 3 December 2013;

• 25 February 2014;

• 10 July 2014;

• 12 November 2014;

• 21 November 2014;

• 16 April 2015; and

• 10 June 2015.

The PICCC also provided evidence to the Committee about the investigations in six closed hearings. These hearings were held on:

• 16 October 2013;

• 6 March 2014;

• 18 June 2014;

• 22 October 2014;

• 1 December 2014; and

• 18 March 2015.

In his first hearing with the Committee on this matter, the PICCC described the allegations as:

…among the most worrying allegations I have encountered in the short time I have been in office. It appears to involve a group of operatives within the Commission’s Operational Support Unit, which … is the unit with primary responsibility for carrying out covert surveillance and has other special powers …. So these are people exercising considerable power who operate in secretive circumstances, and it would seem likely that the governance structures tying the operation of the work of that unit and the attitudes of the people in it to the Commission itself have been rather less effective than those in senior levels of the Commission would have regarded as being in place. They have become something of a law unto themselves.

10 Subsequent to this hearing, the PICCC reached an impasse with then-Commissioner Macknay QC over his decision to involve WAPOL in the investigations. At a later hearing with the Committee the PICCC explained his reasoning for involving WAPOL:

I discussed with the Commissioner the fact that in my view it was absolutely critical that there be no suggestion that the CCC was being left to investigate its own and to deal with the matter in-house; it needed to be dealt with in a transparent, open fashion according to the law in the ordinary way that applies to the allegation of criminal offences committed by any citizen. It seemed to me that the fact that the citizen who was the subject of those allegations was an officer of the CCC gave it no different dimension from the ordinary application of investigation and application of the criminal law.11

Meanwhile, the PICCC made it clear to the Committee that he was concurrently oversighting the actions of the CCC in some disciplinary matters involving its staff:

 I have satisfied myself that the proposed action by the CCC is open and appropriate. With that rider, I have otherwise interfered not at all in that process, merely cautioning that care needs to be taken not to create any factual base for disciplinary action by the CCC which might ultimately conflict in any way with the factual scenario which may arise out of the prosecution of a criminal offence. …, the traditional view of that— these matters when one is dealing with matters which may have an administrative significance as well as a criminal process significance— is that the criminal process goes first and is dealt with unsullied by any other competing strain of fact-finding and evidence gathering. As to that, I thought it was appropriate, in those cases which appeared to carry the matter at least to the threshold point that it appeared there was evidence capable of being gathered and which would sustain a criminal prosecution, to use the power of the Inspector under section 196(3)(f) and (g) [of the CCC Act], which gives a very appropriately worded complete process of referral to other agencies, in this case the Police, for consideration, investigation and criminal prosecution, where appropriate.12 About three months later, the PICCC reported to the Committee: Nonetheless, the investigation has proved to be enormously useful because it is exposing very substantial difficulties of a systemic nature, and I am satisfied they are being well-addressed now by the Commission.13

Information provided to the Committee by the CCC Commissioners

The Committee’s main interaction with the CCC during the period of the investigation of the allegations against its officers has been through five closed hearings with then- Chapter 1 6 Commissioner Macknay QC and the two Acting Commissioners, Mr Neil Douglas and Mr Christopher Shanahan SC. These were held on:

• 9 April 2014;

• 19 November 2014;

• 26 November 2014;

• 25 March 2015; and

• 15 April 2015.

Commissioner Macknay QC explained to the Committee, just before he left the Commission, that he believed that the misconduct in the CCC was limited to the OSU, which had been established and trained in preparation for the CCC to receive new powers to engage with organised crime under proposals to amend the CCC Act:

…obviously the Commission has had a difficulty in one particular area. I should say that that area is not within the Commission proper. There has never been any suggestion that within the Commission proper there has been anything other than high standards and integrity. The particular area where there has been a difficulty was an area that was in abeyance to an extent waiting for this Bill [Corruption and Crime Commission Amendment Bill 2012], because if the Bill had become law, the role of the Commission was going to be such that there was going to be a greatly heightened need for the services of people in that particular area. In those circumstances we just obviously had to keep it in existence and wait. That area has now been the subject of an extremely thoroughgoing review and those who have been considered unworthy to be with commission have been discharged. Completely different arrangements are in place and I am very confident that there would not be any repetition of poor behaviour. … The failure, of course, was at a management level as well; otherwise these things could not have occurred. That nature of the entity was such that ordinary audit arrangements were not easily able to be implemented. The Commission has always had an internal auditor; the external auditor, of course, is the Office of the Auditor General. In the past we have had an internal auditor, which was a firm of chartered accountants but a year or so ago we engaged an individual as an internal auditor. He is now able to penetrate those sensitive areas of the Commission, where it was not deemed practical to have people go before. The level of our ability to exercise oversight in those areas is also enhanced as a result of that. 14

Hearing with WAPOL

The Committee also took evidence from WAPOL about its investigations into the CCC misconduct allegations during a closed hearing on 17 September 2014. This hearing was primarily taking evidence to be used in the Committee’s Inquiry into improving the working relationship between the Corruption and Crime Commission and the Western Australia Police. At this hearing, Assistant Commissioner Gary Budge, who headed the WAPOL task force investigating the allegations, told the Committee of the frustrations with trying to extract appropriate information from the Commission:

So there has been significant obstruction, I must say. There has been a reluctance to cooperate with us. Even last week we had a nonsensical situation in regard to another referral, where they provided us some material that we requested, and it is quite generic. We were asking for all information that they have in regard to a certain incident. They gave us material, but from reading the material we discovered there was obviously some material that was not provided. We asked them why they had not provided that, and they said because they did not think it was relevant; so they are making a decision on whether it is relevant. We are the investigating officers who should be making a decision, I believe, on whether it is relevant or not. So, when we said, “Well, we want the material”, they said, “Tell us what you want then; itemise it and we will then provide you the material.” But, of course, we do not know what they have got. So, this situation has arisen where we have been restricted in the way we can go about our investigation because of their reluctance to cooperate with us in regard to what is described as serious misconduct, corruption or criminal behaviour.

The PICCC’s recommendations

In this report to the Committee, the PICCC has made three recommendations that the CCC Act be amended:

1. to provide the Parliamentary Inspector with the power to certify the provision, in the public interest, of official information to the Police, or to another external investigative body, when the Commission or one of its officers is being investigated for a criminal offence.

2. to provide the Parliamentary Inspector with the function to oversee the investigation of a complaint made by the Commission, or by its officers, about the conduct of an officer of an external investigative agency which is investigating the conduct of the Commission, or its officers.

3. to make it compulsory for the Commission to notify the Parliamentary Inspector of any Commission misconduct investigation which is proposed to be commenced, or which has already commenced, in relation to a Police officer, or an officer of another investigative body, who is investigating the conduct of the Commission, or its officers.

Finding 1

The Parliamentary Inspector has recommended three amendments be made to the Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003.

Recommendation 1

The Attorney General report to Parliament as to the action, if any, proposed to be taken by the Government with respect to the three recommendations made by the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission.

Conclusion

 As a result of the investigations into the 23 allegations that the PICCC lists in this report, three CCC officers were dismissed by the Commission, four resigned and one senior officer did not have his contract of employment renewed. At the time of this Report, the Police have charged two officers with criminal offences relating to corruptly falsifying Commission records, and giving false evidence to a Commission examination conducted as part of its investigation of some allegations. The PICCC also reported to the Committee that, following the WAPOL investigation, the Commission has subsequently paid $269,533 to the Australian Taxation Office for a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) liability for the year 2012-13, while the size of the FBT liability for the years prior to that remains unknown.16 While there have not been a significant number of criminal charges flowing from the PICCC’s investigation of these allegations, he notes in his report that he was disturbed to find:

The number and nature of allegations made against OSU officers in this matter, and the systemic nature of the conduct investigated, revealed a disturbing culture of entitlement and unaccountability in the OSU contrary to the standards and values expected of public officers, particularly those employed by the State’s anti-corruption body.17

Just before he resigned in April 2014, then-Commissioner Macknay QC instituted a ‘root and branch’ review of the Commission’s procedures, especially those used within the OSU.18 The Commission reported to Parliament on a major restructure and repositioning of the organisation when it tabled its ‘The Repositioning Report’ on 21 April 2015. 19

In its Report 18, Improving the working relationship between the Corruption and Crime Commission and Western Australia Police tabled in March 2015, the Committee provided an alternative arrangement to the one pursued by the PICCC that it received information on in three overseas jurisdictions. The Committee was told in its briefings of the importance of an agreement between the Independent Police Complaints Commission (London), Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Ireland), Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, and Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland that allows each police oversight agency in these four jurisdictions to make special requests to each other for an independent review of a ‘critical incident’ that might affect public confidence in their respective organisations. These arrangements are outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the agencies. Dr Michael Maguire, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, told the Committee that this MOU allowed the oversight agencies to support each other, for example, when serious allegations might have been made against a senior member  of his staff. The external body would do an independent investigation and then provide their recommendations to him based on what they found.20 The Committee recommended to the CCC that it investigate such an arrangement with similar police oversight bodies in other Australian jurisdictions, as such an arrangement might be more speedily put in place than making amendments to the CCC Act. Noting the PICCC’s governance of these matters is a “work in progress”, and his stated intention to “provide reports to Parliament… in due course”, the Committee will continue to monitor the progress of the PICCC’s investigations into the remaining allegations. It also intends in due course to assess the benefit and effectiveness of the secondment provisions available to the PICCC in section 212 of the CCC Act21 and the implementation of new governance practices and procedures by the CCC.

CCC inspector says watchdog did not deliberately thwart police investigation

BY STEPHANIE DALZELL - WED OCT 2014

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/ccc-inspector-explains-remarks-on-police-investigation/5834576

Michael Murray said he was distressed his comments were interpreted in the way they were.

ABC NEWS

The man charged with overseeing the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) has revealed he never intended to imply the watchdog had deliberately thwarted a police investigation.

In his annual report, tabled in Parliament last week, the parliamentary inspector of the CCC, former Supreme Court judge Michael Murray, noted the watchdog initially refused police access to documents and interviews over possible criminality within the commission's ranks.

He said as a result, the police investigation into six allegedly corrupt CCC officers was delayed.

But Justice Murray has told a parliamentary committee he was "distressed" to see his comments were interpreted to indicate the CCC had deliberately tried to hinder the police process.

"[There was a] misinterpretation, in particular, the allegation that this was intentional conduct," he said.

"Nothing was further from my mind.

"I've been horrified to see people talk about the need to rethink if the commission is capable of functioning at all."

A spokeswoman for the CCC last week denied the watchdog had hindered the police investigation, saying it had facilitated the interview process three days after receiving a list from police.

The chairman of the committee, Liberal MP Nick Goiran, quizzed Justice Murray about whether the statement was correct but Justice Murray said the delay was in excess of three months.

"I won't pretend the delay wasn't considerable," Justice Murray said.

"Referrals were made in the beginning of December ... it wasn't resolved until the end of February or early March the next year."

The release of Justice Murray's report prompted Premier Colin Barnett to say he would ensure the "full force of the law" applied to any CCC officers who had engaged in criminal conduct.

He told 720 ABC Perth on Thursday he was very concerned about the findings.

"We will certainly not allow any investigation be limited, and we'll take Justice Murray's comments very seriously," he said.

Later, Mr Barnett labelled the watchdog's performance an "embarrassment", indicating he would renew a push to expand the corruption watchdog's powers to include organised crime, despite the idea being shot down in Parliament in 2012.

Justice Murray told the committee while there had been governance issues within the CCC, the commission was "dealing with them carefully".

"This whole episode, apart from the delay that occurred ... is a testament to how well the system works," he said.

"This is a system that is operated by people, some will go astray."

Justice Murray concluded by expressing "a high level of confidence" in the CCC.

"This is an effective agency working well in difficult circumstances," he said.

Methamphetamine traffickers could be jailed for life, under WA Labor's plans for tougher laws

By Graeme Powell  3 Feb 2017,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-03/labor-to-introduce-tough-new-drug-laws-if-it-wins-government/8238184

Methamphetamine, MDMA seized by police

Posted 2 Feb 2017, 11:06pm

Methamphetamine traffickers are to be targeted under a Labor government.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-03/approximtely-12c917-kilograms-of-mdma-and-849-kilograms-of-met/8238264

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-03/wa-shadow-attorney-general-john-quigley/8238274

WA Shadow Attorney-General John Quigley  2 Feb 2017

Shadow Attorney General John Quigley says WA is in a meth crisis.

Methamphetamine traffickers could be jailed for life, if the WA Labor Party wins next month's state election.

The shadow attorney-general John Quigley said that under a Labor government, anyone caught with more than 28 grams of methamphetamine would face the harshest legal penalties in the nation.

He said methamphetamine abuse was out of control and the drug was responsible for an increase in violence and crime.

"Labor will introduce a life penalty for those who deal in methamphetamine," he said.

"We've got to cut the head off the snake. We've got to really increase the penalties for traffickers.

"I'm sure all the community agrees we're in a meth crisis and Labor is going to take this head-on."

"We've got to stop the people that are supplying the street dealers.

"We are told that Western Australia is the meth capital of Australia. We are doing worse than anywhere else."

However, Police Minister Liza Harvey said history showed the threat of long jail terms did not work.

"Once again a weak policy designed around getting a headline," she said.

"We know that Labor believes that meth dealers are low-level offenders.

"Increasing maximum penalties doesn't work, and there's nothing in this for police resources to assist in dealing with meth trafficking in our community.

"If you have a look at the sentencing history, increasing maximum penalties does not illicit a response from the judiciary in sentencing offenders.

Mr Quigley denied the laws were excessive.

"We're not going over the top at all," he said.

"Under the Misuse of Drugs Act there are very serious penalties for dealing in methamphetamine, but there is no step up penalty for drug trafficking in methamphetamine and we're told that two tonnes of methamphetamine are being used annually in Perth," he said.

Mr Quigley pointed to a recent case in which a trafficker who was caught with $500,000 worth of the drug was jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Mrs Harvey said the Liberal Party would be announcing its methamphetamine policy in the near future.

Topics: drug-offences, elections, government-and-politics, wa

First posted 2 Feb 2017, 11:24pm

Political parties urged to rethink harsher jail terms for meth dealing, trafficking

By Sarah Taillier-  7 Mar 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-07/concern-about-crime-focus-of-major-political-parties-in-wa/8329958

Substance abuse experts and families torn apart by methamphetamine are warning major political parties they can not "arrest" their way out of Western Australia's drug problem.

"You fear every minute … every minute that child or children are not your sight you fear for their safety," she said.

"Kids 12, 13 [years old] are getting on it and selling it and it's just not on. So I'm all for tougher penalties … bring it on."

"But principally, we need to find ways to keep people out of prison, [this] is first and foremost."

Ahead of Saturday's state poll, the Liberal and Labor parties have been in a race to out-do each other with their tough on crime policies, targeting meth dealers and traffickers.

A key plank in the Liberal Party's policy is to introduce what it describes as "Australia's harshest penalties for meth dealers" by enforcing mandatory minimum prison terms.

Labor meanwhile has vowed to introduce what it said would be the nation's "toughest sentencing regime" for meth traffickers — promising to introduce a maximum life sentence for people caught with a trafficable quantity of methamphetamine.

Prison 'not the answer'

But not everyone is applauding the approach being taken by the parties.

A grandmother in the port city of Geraldton is all too familiar with the toll that drugs can take on a family.

The woman, who will be referred to as Barbara, helped care for her grandson after his parents were allegedly involved in a number of drug-fuelled incidents.

"I've had to make decisions that grandmothers don't normally have to make," she said.

The boy has now returned to his parents and Barbara has not seen him for months.

Barbara believes prison is not the answer and law makers should be focussing on mandatory rehabilitation not mandatory sentencing.

"You show me a drug free prison and I'll tell you to lock them up," he said.

But the policies are resonating with some business owners and residents like Ian Beamon, who also lives in Geraldton.

"There should be tougher penalties because at the moment here in Geraldton it's out of control," he said.

"You've just gotta look at what it's doing to families … it's destroying people.

But many researchers argue there is no evidence to support a tough sentencing approach.

Reduction in demand, availability seen as key

Professor Steve Allsop is from the Perth-based National Drug Research Institute.

"The harshness of the penalty, the mandatory nature of the penalty, I think is less likely to have impact … quite simply because if people think they can get away with it the financial rewards are high," he said.

"So what we have to do is ensure greater likelihood of detection, ensure that we reduce the demand across our communities."

Professor Allsop praised elements of both parties' plans to tackle methamphetamine, but said the central part of any strategy must be demand reduction, prevention and increasing access to treatment.

"We need to ensure that our streets aren't awash with methamphetamine and that we have strategies to reduce the availability," he said.

"Law enforcement has a critical role there.

"But principally, we need to find ways to keep people out of prison, [this] is first and foremost."

Professor Allsop said methamphetamine problems should be seen as a public health issue, rather than a law enforcement one.

Topics: elections, government-and-politics, drug-use, drugs-and-substance-abuse, wa, geraldton-6530

Drug policy expert Steve Allsop at Curtin University.

Posted 6 Mar 2017, 11:07am

Steve Allsop says ways must be found to keep people out of prison.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-06/drug-policy-expert-steve-allsop-at-curtin-university/8330008

ABC News: Eliza Borello

Cell door

Posted 6 Mar 2017, 12:12pm

Both major political parties have promised tougher sentencing for drug dealers and traffickers.

ABC News: Alkira Reinfrank

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-06/alexander-maconochie-centre-cell-door/8330042

Government renews Police Commissioner's contract

UPDATED MON AUG 13 2012

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-13/government-decides-on-police-commissioner/4195662

PHOTO 

Karl O'Callaghan says the uncertainty has been distracting and he is keen to move forward.

ABC TV

The Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has been re-appointed for a third term.

State cabinet approved a three year contract this morning.

The Premier Colin Barnett says the re-appointment was made possible after the CCC cleared the Commissioner of any misconduct relating to the use of his credit card.

Mr Barnett says Mr O'Callaghan has the full support of the Cabinet.

He says he now wants the Commissioner to focus on healing divisions with the upper echelons of WA police.

"There's clearly been some issues in the senior levels of the Police Service," he said.

"He has to now pull that organisation together and make sure the nearly 6,000 policemen and women out there are doing their job, which they are, in fighting crime in this state."

Deep divisions were revealed after the executive director of WA Police, Greg Italiano, accused the Commissioner of lacking an 'ethical compass'.

He also told the CCC that other senior officers felt the same way.

Mr O'Callaghan says the uncertainty has been distracting and he is now keen to move forward.

"We're going to sit down and look at new ways of doing things," he said.

"I think the team's fairly energised."

Mr O'Callaghan hopes to fill senior police roles, including three assistant commissioners and a deputy commissioner, within a month.

Unsubstantiated allegations

Mr Italiano, who is on leave, had put in a submission to the CCC to say he stopped signing off on Mr O'Callaghan's credit card statements in October 2010 because he "no longer wished to be put in the position of having to approve his expenditure".

But, he could not recall any specific transactions that were clearly outside police policy.

The CCC concluded the allegations could not be substantiated.

Mr O'Callaghan said the CCC report has made him wary of getting too close to senior colleagues.

Last week, he said he had previously considered Mr Italiano a friend and was shell-shocked by the statements.

He declared their working relationship untenable.

"One of the problems with getting too close to people you work with in senior positions, is it's very easy to over trust them," he said.

"Once you start to trust people and you distance yourself from, I suppose, a more inquisitorial style and you leave people to go about their business, then you can end up with something like this.

"My feeling is I've been kicked in the guts by someone who I've worked closely with for a very long time," he said.

Mr O'Callaghan had said their working relationship cannot continue.

"I don't know what his motive was but it would seem a very strange thing to do," he said.

"I mean if you make a complaint that there are concerns about somebody's corporate card expenditure, and you go before an inquiry, you would expect to have one or two examples."

Mr O'Callaghan says anti-social behaviour and alcohol abuse are among the top priorities for his third term.

   The Claremont serial murders 1996 to 1997

The Claremont serial murders is the name given by the media to a case involving the murder of two young Australian women, aged 23 and 27 and the disappearance of a third, aged 18 in 1996 and 1997 in Claremont , a wealthy western suburb of Perth, Western Australia . All three women disappeared in similar circumstances after attending night spots in Claremont, leading police to suspect that an unidentified serial killer was the offender.

Background

The case began with the disappearance of Sarah Spiers, 18, on 26 January 1996, after she left a nightclub in the centre of Claremont. Her disappearance was described by her friends and family as out of character and attracted massive publicity. Spiers had apparently called a taxi from a phone booth but was not present when the responding vehicle arrived. Her fate remained uncertain.

Some months later, on 9 June 1996, Jane Rimmer, 23, disappeared from the same part of Claremont. Her body was found in bushland near Woolcoot Road, Wellard, in August 1996

On 14 March 1997, Ciara Glennon, a 27-year-old lawyer, disappeared from the Claremont area. Her body was found on 3 April, near a track in scrub off Pipidinny Road in Eglinton, a northern suburb of Perth. After this murder police confirmed that they were searching for a serial killer.

Each of the women had attended either a pub called The Continental (later renamed The Red Rock and now known as The Claremont Hotel) and/or the nightclub Club Bayview.

Possible related cases

It has also been suggested by Liam Bartlett, a journalist, that Sarah Spiers was not the first victim.^[3] He wrote that police have told the father of a fourth missing woman, 22-year-old Julie Cutler, that his daughter was probably a victim of the Claremont killer.

Ms. Cutler, a university student, from Fremantle, vanished after leaving a staff function at the Parmelia Hilton Hotel in Perth at 9pm, one night in 1988. Her car was found in the surf near the groyne at Cottesloe Beach two days later. Her fate is also unknown.

Investigation and speculation

The Western Australian Police established a special task force to investigate the case. It was given the name "Macro". Several phases have elapsed in the course of the continuing work of the task force.

Initial suspicion focused on the taxi-drivers of Perth because of the women last seen in circumstances where they may have been seeking taxi service. There had also been a predisposition to this possibility because of reports from late 1995 of possible improper conduct by some drivers. A massive DNA-testing exercise was carried out to cover all of the taxi drivers licensed in Western Australia; a group of more than two thousand. A thorough review of the character/background standards for drivers was conducted and led to drivers with any significant criminal history being de-licensed. Training for drivers and examining standards for license eligibility were raised. Stricter standards were also applied to verifying that decommissioned taxi vehicles were stripped of any insignia and equipment that could be used to falsely purport that a vehicle was a taxi. While this had the beneficial side-effect of improving the quality of the taxi service and enhancing the confidence of the public in using it, the investigation itself does not appear to have progressed.

In the next major development, a junior officer of the Western Australian Public Service was targeted by police as the prime suspect, after he attracted their attention during a decoy operation.^[3] The suspect made himself known to the media and asserted his innocence. He was subjected to a high level of overt surveillance, apparently with the purpose of prompting a confession. Although this continued for several years, the suspect maintained his innocence and appears to have intact alibis. The police declared late 2008 that he was "no longer a person of interest".

It was reported that police also investigated whether Bradley John Murdoch, the convicted killer of British tourist Peter Falconio may have been involved, although Murdoch was serving a custodial sentence from November 1995 until February 1997.

One of the tactics used by the Macro Task-force was the distribution of questionnaires to "persons of interest", including various confrontational enquiries such as "Are you the killer?" The utility of this approach was disputed and the choice of persons to whom they were sent was controversial. One was a prominent civil libertarian and local government figure, Peter Weygers. He was mayor of the Town of Claremont at the time of the women's disappearance/demise and was involved in some disputes with the victims' families concerning the duty of care of the local authority in securing the district. He also was leasing a premises to a taxi-driver who attracted police attention to himself by claiming to have transported Sarah Spiers in his taxi shortly before her disappearance. Weygers' premises were raided by the police and he and his tenant were obliged to give samples for DNA testing. 
As with other avenues of investigation, nothing was to come of it.

In October 2006, it was announced that Mark Dixie (AKA Shane Turner), who was convicted in the United Kingdom for the 2005 murder of 18-year-old model Sally Anne Bowman, was a prime suspect in the killings, and the WA Police's Macro Taskforce requested DNA samples from Dixie to test against evidence taken during the inquiry. However, WA Police Deputy Commissioner Murray Lampard was later quoted as saying "Dixie was closely investigated at the time and eventually ruled out as a suspect."

In a memoir titled The End of Innocence, published in 2007, Estelle Blackburn, a Western Australian journalist and author, speculated that her former partner, who had assaulted and threatened many times to kill her, may be the killer; claiming that he had performed maintenance on taxi vehicles and often had overnight access to them. This was further explored in a two-part episode of the ABC's television programme, Australian Story, in November 2007.^[

Arrest

A man was arrested on 22 December 2016, in regard to the wilful murder of both Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.^[12] According to a report by ABC News, the man is believed to have no previous link to the case. The man, Bradley Robert Edwards, was subsequently charged with both murders on 23 December 2016.^[13] He has also been charged over two other alleged attacks, one against a 17-year-old girl in Claremont in 1995, and the other against an 18-year-old woman in Huntingdale in 1988.

'Don't worry about it, we've got our man': Is this the moment police let the Claremont Killer walk free because they were too focused on tying another man to the crime?

• The Claremont Killer serial murders is a notorious Australian cold case
• Three women were abducted in 1996 and 1997 from the Perth suburb
• The cases were all strikingly similar, yet the killer has never been found
• A former detective speaks out about a potential suspect who walked
• Says investigators were fixed on one man, rejected all other possibilities
• Con Bayens recalls a chilling incident which set off alarm bells
• Case is Australia's longest running and most expensive investigation 

By Lucy Thackray for Daily Mail Australia

PUBLISHED: 17:41, 31 May 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104708/Don-t-worry-ve-got-man-moment-police-charge-hunting-Claremont-Killer-let-prime-suspect-walk-free-focused-tying-man-crime.html

The Claremont killer, who abducted and murdered three young blonde women, was never captured and could still be walking the streets almost 20 years on – and it's suggested police may have let the culprit go.

Taskforce Macro have been investigaing the Perth serial murders in what has become Australia's longest running and most expensive active man hunt

The FBI, Nassar and a former Mossad agent have been called on to assist - yet the person or people responsible remain at large.

The bodies of Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27, were found dumped in bushland in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

Scroll down for video 

Despite ongoing investigation Taskforce Macro the mass murderer who killed three women in affluent Perth suburb Claremont hasn't been found

The former head of WA's prostitution taskforce says police looking for the Claremont serial killer in the 1990s and 2000s were dismissive of a suspect because they were too focused on trying to tie another man to the crime.

In 2008 the man, public servant Lance Williams, was finally dismissed as a suspect after years of round-the-clock surveillance.

Mr Bayens fears investigators failed to adequately probe potential suspects he encountered while running his taskforce between July 2000 and August 2002.

One particularly harrowing night has 'haunted' him 'for years' and Mr Bayens is adamant the disturbing man he found was never properly investigated by the taskforce.

Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer both disappeared after spending time at Bayview Terrace in Perth's Claremont (pictured). Ciara Glennon had been at another establishment in the precinct, just 200 metres away

The former head of WA's prostitution taskforce says police looking for the Claremont serial killer in the 1990s and 2000s were dismissive of a suspect because they were too focused on trying to tie another man to the crime.

In 2008 the man, public servant Lance Williams, was finally dismissed as a suspect after years of round-the-clock surveillance.

Mr Bayens fears investigators failed to adequately probe potential suspects he encountered while running his taskforce between July 2000 and August 2002.

One particularly harrowing night has 'haunted' him 'for years' and Mr Bayens is adamant the disturbing man he found was never properly investigated by the taskforce.

Channel 7 Report presented this picture of what the boot look like of the car that police found when they searched a car in an undercover oeration of Nothbridge, Perth...
The former head of WA's prostitution taskforce Con Bayens thought that what was in this man's boot was all that is need for an abduction and the boot was lined with blue plastic,.
the reported started on the TV Investigation that the car looked like and unmarked police car...



Above: Retired police officer that passed on the information of what he found in a man's car as above in an undercover police opperatio, which made him feel this man could be the Calremont Serial Killer, however he was shocked to realise that the Macro Task Force that was in charge of Investigating the Claremont Serial Murders did not follow the information up that he gave them about this man and the fact that he found the following in the boot that was lines with blue plastic:
Pliers, tape and wore ties , which aere all items that could be used in an abduction

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/claremont-serial-killings-police-piecing-together-the-life-of-bradley-robert-edwards/news-story/557f281e68cdf76d572843291ea9cef7

'Don't worry about it, we've got our man': Is this the moment police let the Claremont Killer

walk free because they were too focused on tying another man to the crime?

• The Claremont Killer serial murders is a notorious Australian cold case
• Three women were abducted in 1996 and 1997 from the Perth suburb
• The cases were all strikingly similar, yet the killer has never been found
• A former detective speaks out about a potential suspect who walked
• Says investigators were fixed on one man, rejected all other possibilities
• Con Bayens recalls a chilling incident which set off alarm bells
• Case is Australia's longest running and most expensive investigation 

By Lucy Thackray for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 17:41, 31 May 2015

The Claremont killer, who abducted and murdered three young blonde women, was never captured and could still be walking the streets almost 20 years on – and it's suggested police may have let the culprit go.

Taskforce Macro have been investigaing the Perth serial murders in what has become Australia's longest running and most expensive active man hunt

The FBI, Nassar and a former Mossad agent have been called on to assist - yet the person or people responsible remain at large.

The bodies of Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27, were found dumped in bushland in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

Scroll down for video 

Despite ongoing investigation Taskforce Macro the mass murderer who killed three women in affluent Perth suburb Claremont hasn't been found

Jane Rimmer's (left) body was found in 1996 two months after she disappared, Ciara Glennon's (right) was found just under three weeks after her 1997 disappearance

However, the body of the first victim, 18-year-old Sarah Spiers is yet to be found after she disappeared from a pub in the affluent Perth suburb of Claremont on Australia Day in 1996.

Police officers have now spoken out to allege the investigations were bungled, with potential suspects allowed to walk and key pieces of evidence disregarded.

A terrifying encounter with a sinister man in a car equipped with 'abduction tools' has been pinpointed as a potential moment the police allowed a prime suspect to walk away without inquiry, as they were too focused on a man they believed to be the killer.

'It seems to me the Macro taskforce was a situation where the cops really mucked up and now we've got a cover up. And that's the saddest part, that they've never said 'we made a mistake', said former West Australian officer Con Bayens.

Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer both disappeared after spending time at Bayview Terrace in Perth's Claremont (pictured). Ciara Glennon had been at another establishment in the precinct, just 200 metres away

The former head of WA's prostitution taskforce says police looking for the Claremont serial killer in the 1990s and 2000s were dismissive of a suspect because they were too focused on trying to tie another man to the crime.

In 2008 the man, public servant Lance Williams, was finally dismissed as a suspect after years of round-the-clock surveillance.

Mr Bayens fears investigators failed to adequately probe potential suspects he encountered while running his taskforce between July 2000 and August 2002.

One particularly harrowing night has 'haunted' him 'for years' and Mr Bayens is adamant the disturbing man he found was never properly investigated by the taskforce.

The former head of WA's prostitution taskforce Con Bayens believes the taskforce missed crucial opportunities to explore suspects - including a suspicious character he encountered in 2002

Mr Bayens recalls the chilling night he pulled over a man during an undercover operation in Highgate in 2002 - 11 kilometres away from Claremont.

The boot was lined with blue plastic and there was a pair of pliers and masking tape – disturbing equipment which he believed appeared to be for an abduction.

The driver was questioned but Mr Bayens does not know why he was cleared in inquiries by officers on Task Force Macro, which was set up to investigate the killings.

The boot was lined with blue plastic and there was a pair of pliers and masking tape – disturbing equipment which he believed appeared to be for an abduction

Mr Bayens said the head investigator into the killings had rejected his offer to pass on information from the undercover operation, which was uncovering people every night 'and every one of them had the potential to be the Claremont serial killer.'

However, his offer was rejected by the chief investigator, to his astonishment.

'He said, 'Don't worry about it, Con, we've got our man.' And those words will stick with me forever,' he said.

'That just hit about 10 on my weird s***-o-meter.'

WA Police insist they looked into the sinister man Mr Bayens encountered, but the former constable insists the enquiry never took place.

Mr Bayens said the head investigator into the killings had rejected his offer to pass on information from the undercover operation, which was uncovering people every night 'and every one of them had the potential to be the Claremont serial killer.'

However, his offer was rejected by the chief investigator, to his astonishment.

'He said, 'Don't worry about it, Con, we've got our man.' And those words will stick with me forever,' he said.

'That just hit about 10 on my weird s***-o-meter.'

WA Police insist they looked into the sinister man Mr Bayens encountered, but the former constable insists the enquiry never took place.

12 years after her disappearance, CCTV footage of Jane Rimmer outside Claremont's Continental Hotel was finally released. She ran into a man she seemed to recgonise just minutes before she disappeared

'What happened? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'd love to see the proof,' he said.

Police still believe they will find the killer, who abducted and murdered the women after they partied at nightspots in the affluent suburb of Claremont.

The three disappearances were extremely similar – as former Ferguson puts it 'they each got into the wrong car and it cost them their lives.'

Investigators believe the women trusted the drivers of the vehicles so focussed their attention on taxi drivers –
taking DNA samples from thousands of registered cab drivers in the city.

The three disappearances were extremely similar – as former Ferguson puts it 'they each got into the wrong car and it cost them their lives' (the taskforce pictured in the 1990s)

The women disappeared in 1996 and 1997 in the ritzy western Perth suburb, Claremont in an area that was a hub of activity.

Sarah Spiers was just 18 years old when she became the first victim in the Claremont serial murders.

She left a nightclub in Claremont, Club Bayview, on Australia Day 1996 and called for a cab from a payphone at 2.06. By the time the taxi arrived at 2.14am, 
she had disappeared. Her body has never been found.

On June 6 of that year childcare worker Jane Rimmer, 23, disappeared from the same Claremont pub – Club Bayview after declining a lift with friends.

Her body was found two months later August 3 in dense bushland south of Perth. She was found naked, partially decomposed and covered with leaves and twigs.

The third incident occurred early the following year on March 15, 1997. Ciara Glennon, a 27-year-old lawyer, 
disappeared from Claremont's Continental Hotel, just 200 metres from Club Bayview in the same party precinct.

She wandered out onto the Sterling Highway, potentially in search of a taxi. A witness told police they saw her talking to someone in a car. 
When the witness looked back a moment later, Ciara and the car were both gone.

Sarah Spiers was just 18 years old when she became the first victim in the Claremont serial murders

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104708/Don-t-worry-ve-got-man-moment-police-charge-hunting-Claremont-Killer-let-prime-suspect-walk-free-focused-tying-man-crime.html

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Marc Payen, wollongong, Australia, 1 year ago

the police wil never and have never admitted that they make mistakes thats the main reson ppl dont trust them anymore they seem to think their infalable

I thought it was just Victoria Police that were useless!!!

nina007, Perth, 1 year ago

The Police are bungling idiots. No wonder the culprit has never been caught. Caper Cops, I'd call it.

Alyx 6, Helsinki , Finland, 1 year ago

I lived in that area during that time and the cops really did stuff this whole thing up BIG TIME.

Asha, Sydney, 1 year ago

Typical police

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104708/Don-t-worry-ve-got-man-moment-police-charge-hunting-Claremont-Killer-let-prime-suspect-walk-free-focused-tying-man-crime.html#ixzz4WcfMiGm0 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

The Claremont serial murders is the name given by the media to a case involving the murder of two young Australian women, aged 23 and 27 and the disappearance of a third, aged 18 in 1996 and 1997 in Claremont, a wealthy western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. All three women disappeared in similar circumstances after attending night spots in Claremont, leading police to suspect that an unidentified serial killer was the offender.

Background

The case began with the disappearance of Sarah Spiers, 18, on 26 January 1996, after she left a nightclub in the centre of Claremont. Her disappearance was described by her friends and family as out of character and attracted massive publicity. Spiers had apparently called a taxi from a phone booth but was not present when the responding vehicle arrived. Her fate remained uncertain.

Some months later, on 9 June 1996, Jane Rimmer, 23, disappeared from the same part of Claremont. Her body was found in bushland near Woolcoot Road, Wellard, in August 1996

On 14 March 1997, Ciara Glennon, a 27-year-old lawyer, disappeared from the Claremont area. Her body was found on 3 April, near a track in scrub off Pipidinny Road in Eglinton, a northern suburb of Perth. After this murder police confirmed that they were searching for a serial killer.

Each of the women had attended either a pub called The Continental (later renamed The Red Rock and now known as The Claremont Hotel) and/or the nightclub Club Bayview.

Possible related cases

It has also been suggested by Liam Bartlett, a journalist, that Sarah Spiers was not the first victim.^[3] He wrote that police have told the father of a fourth missing woman, 22-year-old Julie Cutler, that his daughter was probably a victim of the Claremont killer.

Ms. Cutler, a university student, from Fremantle, vanished after leaving a staff function at the Parmelia Hilton Hotel in Perth at 9pm, one night in 1988. Her car was found in the surf near the groyne at Cottesloe Beach two days later. Her fate is also unknown.

Investigation and speculation

The Western Australian Police established a special task force to investigate the case. It was given the name "Macro". Several phases have elapsed in the course of the continuing work of the task force.

Initial suspicion focused on the taxi-drivers of Perth because of the women last seen in circumstances where they may have been seeking taxi service. There had also been a predisposition to this possibility because of reports from late 1995 of possible improper conduct by some drivers. A massive DNA-testing exercise was carried out to cover all of the taxi drivers licensed in Western Australia; a group of more than two thousand. A thorough review of the character/background standards for drivers was conducted and led to drivers with any significant criminal history being de-licensed. Training for drivers and examining standards for license eligibility were raised. Stricter standards were also applied to verifying that decommissioned taxi vehicles were stripped of any insignia and equipment that could be used to falsely purport that a vehicle was a taxi. While this had the beneficial side-effect of improving the quality of the taxi service and enhancing the confidence of the public in using it, the investigation itself does not appear to have progressed.

In the next major development, a junior officer of the Western Australian Public Service was targeted by police as the prime suspect, after he attracted their attention during a decoy operation.^[3] The suspect made himself known to the media and asserted his innocence. He was subjected to a high level of overt surveillance, apparently with the purpose of prompting a confession. Although this continued for several years, the suspect maintained his innocence and appears to have intact alibis. The police declared late 2008 that he was "no longer a person of interest".

It was reported that police also investigated whether Bradley John Murdoch, the convicted killer of British tourist Peter Falconio may have been involved, although Murdoch was serving a custodial sentence from November 1995 until February 1997.

One of the tactics used by the Macro Task-force was the distribution of questionnaires to "persons of interest", including various confrontational enquiries such as "Are you the killer?" The utility of this approach was disputed and the choice of persons to whom they were sent was controversial. One was a prominent civil libertarian and local government figure, Peter Weygers. He was mayor of the Town of Claremont at the time of the women's disappearance/demise and was involved in some disputes with the victims' families concerning the duty of care of the local authority in securing the district. He also was leasing a premises to a taxi-driver who attracted police attention to himself by claiming to have transported Sarah Spiers in his taxi shortly before her disappearance. Weygers' premises were raided by the police and he and his tenant were obliged to give samples for DNA testing. 
As with other avenues of investigation, nothing was to come of it.

In October 2006, it was announced that Mark Dixie (AKA Shane Turner), who was convicted in the United Kingdom for the 2005 murder of 18-year-old model Sally Anne Bowman, was a prime suspect in the killings, and the WA Police's Macro Taskforce requested DNA samples from Dixie to test against evidence taken during the inquiry. However, WA Police Deputy Commissioner Murray Lampard was later quoted as saying "Dixie was closely investigated at the time and eventually ruled out as a suspect."

In a memoir titled The End of Innocence, published in 2007, Estelle Blackburn, a Western Australian journalist and author, speculated that her former partner, who had assaulted and threatened many times to kill her, may be the killer; claiming that he had performed maintenance on taxi vehicles and often had overnight access to them. This was further explored in a two-part episode of the ABC's television programme, Australian Story, in November 2007.^[

Arrest

A man was arrested on 22 December 2016, in regard to the wilful murder of both Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.^[12] According to a report by ABC News, the man is believed to have no previous link to the case. The man, Bradley Robert Edwards, was subsequently charged with both murders on 23 December 2016.^[13] He has also been charged over two other alleged attacks, one against a 17-year-old girl in Claremont in 1995, and the other against an 18-year-old woman in Huntingdale in 1988.

'Don't worry about it, we've got our man': Is this the moment police let the Claremont Killer walk free because they were too focused on tying another man to the crime?

• The Claremont Killer serial murders is a notorious Australian cold case
• Three women were abducted in 1996 and 1997 from the Perth suburb
• The cases were all strikingly similar, yet the killer has never been found
• A former detective speaks out about a potential suspect who walked
• Says investigators were fixed on one man, rejected all other possibilities
• Con Bayens recalls a chilling incident which set off alarm bells
• Case is Australia's longest running and most expensive investigation 

By Lucy Thackray for Daily Mail Australia

PUBLISHED: 17:41, 31 May 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104708/Don-t-worry-ve-got-man-moment-police-charge-hunting-Claremont-Killer-let-prime-suspect-walk-free-focused-tying-man-crime.html

The Claremont killer, who abducted and murdered three young blonde women, was never captured and could still be walking the streets almost 20 years on – and it's suggested police may have let the culprit go.

Taskforce Macro have been investigaing the Perth serial murders in what has become Australia's longest running and most expensive active man hunt

The FBI, Nassar and a former Mossad agent have been called on to assist - yet the person or people responsible remain at large.

The bodies of Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27, were found dumped in bushland in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

12 years after her disappearance, CCTV footage of Jane Rimmer outside Claremont's Continental Hotel was finally released. She ran into a man she seemed to recgonise just minutes before she disappeared

'What happened? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'd love to see the proof,' he said.

Police still believe they will find the killer, who abducted and murdered the women after they partied at nightspots in the affluent suburb of Claremont.

The three disappearances were extremely similar – as former Ferguson puts it 'they each got into the wrong car and it cost them their lives.'

Investigators believe the women trusted the drivers of the vehicles so focussed their attention on taxi drivers –
taking DNA samples from thousands of registered cab drivers in the city.

The three disappearances were extremely similar – as former Ferguson puts it 'they each got into the wrong car and it cost them their lives' (the taskforce pictured in the 1990s)

The women disappeared in 1996 and 1997 in the ritzy western Perth suburb, Claremont in an area that was a hub of activity.

Sarah Spiers was just 18 years old when she became the first victim in the Claremont serial murders.

She left a nightclub in Claremont, Club Bayview, on Australia Day 1996 and called for a cab from a payphone at 2.06. By the time the taxi arrived at 2.14am, 
she had disappeared. Her body has never been found.

On June 6 of that year childcare worker Jane Rimmer, 23, disappeared from the same Claremont pub – Club Bayview after declining a lift with friends.

Her body was found two months later August 3 in dense bushland south of Perth. She was found naked, partially decomposed and covered with leaves and twigs.

The third incident occurred early the following year on March 15, 1997. Ciara Glennon, a 27-year-old lawyer, 
disappeared from Claremont's Continental Hotel, just 200 metres from Club Bayview in the same party precinct.

She wandered out onto the Sterling Highway, potentially in search of a taxi. A witness told police they saw her talking to someone in a car. 
When the witness looked back a moment later, Ciara and the car were both gone.

Sarah Spiers was just 18 years old when she became the first victim in the Claremont serial murders

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104708/Don-t-worry-ve-got-man-moment-police-charge-hunting-Claremont-Killer-let-prime-suspect-walk-free-focused-tying-man-crime.html

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Marc Payen, wollongong, Australia, 1 year ago

the police wil never and have never admitted that they make mistakes thats the main reson ppl dont trust them anymore they seem to think their infalable

I thought it was just Victoria Police that were useless!!!

nina007, Perth, 1 year ago

The Police are bungling idiots. No wonder the culprit has never been caught. Caper Cops, I'd call it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2566597/Pictured-Mothers-horrific-injuries-inflicted-thug-brother-tried-calm-allowed-walk-free-court.html

Woman suffered horrific injuries after her BROTHER attacked her when she tried to calm him down... but he was allowed to walk free from court

               Stephen O'Callaghan punched sister Sharon after a night out drinking
 

             She was knocked out and had a broken nose and jaw injuries

              Sharon O'Callaghan's son was in next room as she was attacked

             O'Callaghan was given a suspended 12 month sentence

                    am Webb

               PUBLISHED: 12:25, 24 February 2014

           A battered mother-of-one has bravely gone public to reveal the horrific injuries she suffered after she was attacked -
 by her own brother.

          But although Sharon O’Callaghan, 31, was left scarred for life after she was knocked unconscious and suffered 
a broken nose and damaged jaw,               Stephen O’Callaghan walked free from court.

          Today Miss O'Callaghan, from Blackburn, Lancashire, said: 'I feel let down by the justice system after 
what he did to me and what he has now go
         away with.

'        'What have you got to do to get justice in this day and age if someone can do that and get away with it? 

+6

Horrific: Sharon O'Callaghan, who suffered severe injuries when her brother punched her

+6

Stephen O’Callaghan, 32, carried out the attack while drunk after a night out

'My injuries speak for themselves. Next time he does this, someone will be dead. If that’s what he will do to his own sister, then there’s no telling what he’ll do to other women.'

O’Callaghan, 32, - who has a history of domestic violence against ex-girlfriends - carried out the attack while drunk at the home he shares with his mother after an evening out in June last year.

 

His girlfriend had begun receiving phone calls and text messages from an ex-partner and as Stephen O’Callaghan flew into a rage, his worried sister intervened.

During a scuffle, Stephen O’Callaghan knocked out Miss O'Callaghan with a single punch to the face. She fell to the floor of the kitchen and as well as her other injuries she was left with a bulging bruised eye.

She had pictures taken of her injuries.

Last Friday unemployed father-of-one Stephen O’Callaghan admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stephen O’Callaghan had previously served a 100 day prison sentence in 2007 for common assault

But he was given 12 months custody, suspended for 18 months after Preston Crown Court was told he had gone to a therapy group called 'Make The Change' to address his domestic violence 'rages'.

After the case Miss O'Callaghan, whose eight year old son was in another room at the time of the attack, added: 'I honestly thought my brother was going to go to jail and I’m absolutely mortified that he hasn’t. I can’t believe he’s been allowed to walk.

'He has been in prison before for knocking out his girlfriend and obviously hasn’t shown any remorse for him to do it again. 

'I’m just glad I wasn’t in court because I would have cried if I had myself seen him walk free. At the time of the attack, my friend ran out of the room to stay with my little boy and stop him from seeing what his uncle was doing.

'When she came back into the kitchen she found me unconscious on the floor.

'I still have to walk past my brother’s house twice a day to take my son to and from school. How do I tell my son that he has been able to walk away after doing this?

+6

Miss O'Callaghan tried to intervene when her brother flew into a rage over texts sent to his girlfriend

'My brother is a compulsive liar, he hasn’t shown any remorse - the only consolation is he can be named and shamed. He went on that course to play the system and he has come up smelling of roses.'

Prosecutor Mr David Traynor said Miss O'Callaghan was left with a 3cm triangular laceration to her forehead which will leave permanent scarring as well as bruising to her left eye and left jaw, as well as soft tissue injury.

She was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where she was given a CT scan and stitches for her head injury. She also needed an MRI scan as her memory of the attack never fully returned.

In a victim impact statement she said that seven months after the attack she still suffers from pain in her lower jaw and said her family has been split after her mother sided with her son.

Mr Traynor added: 'She still feels very anxious as a result and fears bumping into the defendant and something else happening. She stresses that her mother has effectively sided with her son and has left her very upset.

+6

Sharon was left with a 3cm triangular laceration to her forehead which will leave a permanent scar

'This is a case of greater harm, the injuries are towards the top end. This is a domestic-type incident, it is not just partners who are covered but family members too.'

O’Callaghan had previously served a 100 day prison sentence in 2007 for common assault and days later a battery charge which was dealt with by a fine.

In mitigation defence counsel Mr David Ryan said his client had shown 'genuine remorse' and added: 'He had an argument with his then girlfriend and the complainant for whatever reason decided to involve herself in the argument.'

He claimed O’Callaghan had since been beaten up by a group of men who told him: 'That’s what you get for assaulting your sister'.

Sentencing, the judge Miss Recorder Anna Vigras said: 'Your record, in relation to violence and domestic situations is not a good one.

'Even bearing in mind your guilty plea it would be an immediate custodial sentence if not for the fact you have undertaken work in the Make the Change programme and had the opportunity and taken the opportunity to reflect what happened that evening.

'For your guilty plea I give you credit and for the work you have done and in terms of your remorse I am able to impose a sentence of prison but it is suspended.'

O’Callaghan was also ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work. He must also stay away from his sister for two years under the terms of a restraining order.

Shigufta Khan, an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate based in Blackburn, said after the case: 'I really think that women are feeling more empowered and more confident to speak out and to report crimes.

'So often victims of violence feel that they are totally alone and that nothing like this is happening to anyone else and what Sharon is doing is offering a type of peer support to other women that may be suffering.'

Det Con John Banks of Lancashire Police said: 'The injuries Sharon suffered were horrific. I am really pleased that Sharon has chosen to share her story and I hope that it encourages more victims to report these types of crimes.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2566597/Pictured-Mothers-horrific-injuries-inflicted-thug-brother-tried-calm-allowed-walk-free-court.html#ixzz4cABJjUnF 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

+6

Stephen O’Callaghan, 32, carried out the attack while drunk after a night out

WA Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan speaks out on battling ice 'epidemic'

by David Weber 23 Oct 2015

                            

Photo: Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan

PHOTO: Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan says prison is not the best option for rehabilitation of ice users. 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-23/karl-ocallaghan-says-ice-epidemic-take-years-to-control/6879910

PHOTO: Russell O'Callaghan bashed his former partner repeatedly over a two-day period, threatening to kill her in front of the couple's son.

The son of the West Australian Police Commissioner has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for bashing his former partner 18 months ago.

Over the course of the next two days Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl O'Callaghan, assaulted her, including putting her in a headlock, choking her, sitting on top of her, holding scissors at her throat and striking her to the face, arms and back.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan made threats including that he was "going to bash the shit out of [her]", "gonna slit [her] throat", and said "if I can't be with you then I'm gonna kill you".

“..The ice issue comes up in every regional community forum, so our regional communities are telling us that ice is infiltrating those communities..”

“..There's anecdotal evidence that the increase in the purity of ice is partly down to the importation, ... because ice as we knew it, 10 years ago, it was something being made up in peoples' backyards or kitchens..”

“..It is very difficult because you remove one drug dealer, another drug dealer moves in, and you're seeing this pattern all over Australia, so it's quote a complex thing to deal with..”

" ..I think the idea of someone going to prison for rehabilitation is sort of a bit twisted, because it's no secret that there's simply not enough resources to provide rehabilitation for all the people in the prison system who have some sort of drug addiction problem…”

“..There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in…”

“..There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in…”

“..You're still seeing lots of ice coming from places like China, ... you seize a lot of ice but there's still a lot coming into the country so it's difficult, as much as you seize, more comes over the horizon…”

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan reveals ice addicts are unlikely to get clean in jail, and says he believes the battle against the ice epidemic will take years to win.

The Commissioner said he believed it would take a multi-agency approach to combat the problem, with rehabilitation and education playing important roles alongside law enforcement.

Q. Commissioner O'Callaghan, is this an epidemic?

I think it can be described as an epidemic.

There's never been such a big focus on one single drug, certainly in the time I've been a police officer and the time I've been Police Commissioner.

So we focus a lot on drugs generally, but now we're focusing on one particular type of drug and we're seeing it impact every aspect of our lives.

Crime obviously, but it's affecting families, and in the health department and it impinges on us everywhere.

When people tend to look back at something similar they think about heroin in the 1970s, but they also say heroin didn't cause as much of an impact on people around the user.

It's the type of drug that ice or methamphetamine actually is, what it does is it causes people to actually become hyper-excited in a lot of circumstances, and they can become violent and aggressive ... unlike heroin.

And that spills over into the way they interact with the public and the way they go about their lives, and so it does have an impact on lots of people.

Q. Are police resources stretched in dealing with it?

Police resources are trying to find new ways of dealing with this so for argument's sake we are seeing an upward swing in the crime rate, we have to do something about that, we have to be able to respond and there's no doubt that ice and methamphetamine generally is taxing us and not just in Western Australia, all over Australia.

Q. Is it tying up an inordinate amount of police resources?

The flow-on effect of people using ice is tying up an inordinate amount of police resources, so if you look at suburbs where people are dealing in ice, using ice, you see a flow-on effect like increases in burglaries, increases in car thefts, increases in anti-social behaviour, increases in family violence and all of those things ultimately have an impact, not only on police, but on a whole range of other government agencies as well.

The crimes that are not necessarily associated with the using of the drug, or the selling of the drug, the extra crimes.

Definitely there are extra crimes and some of those crimes as we have seen are around theft and burglary, the people who are using ice wanting to get at property to convert it to cash to be able to buy drugs to feed their habit, so this is why we're seeing such a big impact on the crime rate.

An ice addict eventually has to be able to feed their habit, now the cost of ice is about $600 a gram, so that money has to be found from somewhere.

A lot of these people simply have to be able to commit crime to fund their habit, so if they weren't under the influence of ice or they weren't addicts, they probably wouldn't commit crimes.

Q. A counsellor told me the cost of a gram is about $300 and there have been comments from police where that it's up around $1,000. So, how much is it?

It does depend on a range of things, it depends on who the seller is, I think the average across Western Australia is about $600 a gram, it is $100 a hit if people want to buy it that way, obviously larger quantities run into the thousands and thousands of dollars.

Q. And probably more in the regions as opposed to Perth?

Well I think it's all about supply and demand and risk really, so that drives the price of drugs all over Australia.

Q. What about the regions, are we facing an epidemic outside of Perth?

I've been to a number of community forums in the past few months and the ice issue comes up in every regional community forum, so our regional communities are telling us that ice is infiltrating those communities.

It's having an effect on people in those communities, we're seeing it affect Aboriginal communities and remote Aboriginal communities, so nobody and no place in Western Australia is immune.

There's anecdotal evidence that the increase in the purity of ice is partly down to the importation of ice because ice as we knew it, 10 years ago, it was something being made up in peoples' backyards or kitchens.

Q. Is there evidence that there's been more importation than there has been in the past?

Ice by definition is the more pure form of methamphetamine, so we've seen since about 2010 a shift from people using methamphetamine to using ice, which is the more pure form.

Ice is currently about 65 per cent pure, so it's very high, it mostly comes in from China so although we've heard of clan labs and people manufacturing locally, that is only addiction-based and provides very small amounts of methamphetamine.

Q. Has the rule at chemists that stops people from buying pseudoephedrine in bulk had an impact?

We've definitely seen a reduction in the number of clan labs in Western Australia and around Australia generally, so people who want to go and buy pseudoephedrine-based products from the chemist now have to register, have to show some ID.

We think it is having some effect.

Q. Can that be chalked up as something of a victory, because there was a period there when there was a massive number of clan labs being discovered?

If we can connect the two things together, and I think we can, it has made a significant improvement, and the improvement is in two areas.

We're seeing less clan labs so less methamphetamine being manufactured for addiction purposes, but the big game has been the reduction in the danger to the community.

We've seen in the past of course some of those clan labs have been very volatile, they cause explosions and that has an impact on people living around the area where those things are being manufactured.

Q. Has information from the community helped the cracking down on the clan labs?

I think the community are much more involved in the discussion about meth and ice than they were some years ago, and I think part of that is to do with the shifting focus.

We're seeing a very significant national focus now, a 'joined up' response to the whole methamphetamine–ice epidemic.

Q. There's been a bit of publicity recently about a particular house in White Gum Valley, and residents asking why this so-called drug house can't be shut down, and then people rang up talkback radio saying 'There's one near our house'. Why can't those houses be shut down?

You can charge people who are dealing in the drug but you can't shut down a house, so you can actually go and charge them for the actual dealing, take them to court, they get a fine or they get some sort of punishment for that, but ultimately there's no power to shut down a house to stop dealing from that particular house.

And it is very difficult because you remove one drug dealer, another drug dealer moves in and you're seeing this pattern all over Australia so it's quite a complex thing to deal with.

Part of the thing for us is getting better intelligence.

One of the reasons we created last year the local policing teams in Perth was for them to spend more time focusing on suburban drug dealers, because we had a lot of complaints from the public, not just about the dealing, but all the anti-social behaviour flow-ons from a drug house.

There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out, but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts, I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in.

Q. To what extent are drugs available in prison and what's being done about it?

I think it's no secret that drugs are available in prison or they get into prisons.

There's been quite a bit of work done with the Department of Corrective Services on operations to target that, to stop drugs getting into prisons.

I think the idea of someone going to prison for rehabilitation is sort of a bit twisted, because it's no secret that there's simply not enough resources to provide rehabilitation for all the people in the prison system who have some sort of drug addiction problem.

These sort of addictions are not best treated in prison, they're best treated in proper therapeutic programs.

Rehabilitation in prison can never be as complete as rehabilitation in a dedicated facility.

If you're in a dedicated facility, you're there all day long, seven days a week dealing with your addiction.

If you're in prison you might get contact from a counsellor once a day or once a week or once every few days. So the whole program is different in the prison system.

Q. There have also been calls for ice to be legalised, is that conceivable?

That debate is really about health rather than about police.

We've seen that the use of ice has very significant impact on the health system, we know it causes psychosis, we know there's a lot of debate about what do we do with people who have mental health issues, can they be forcibly detained, forcibly rehabilitated?

The thing about legalising ice, the first thing that that would do, it would have a massive impact on our health system.

Q. Would there be more or less crime?

It's very difficult to say, I don't think there would necessarily be less crime because of it but we would certainly see some very big impacts across broader government systems.

Q. In relation to dealing with the ice problem, the Federal Government has said this won't be a 'quick fix' and there needs to be a multi-faceted approach. To what extent are police, authorities and other organisations helping each other already in relation to this?

There's a very, very strong national approach to the whole problem of methamphetamine and ice, so hundreds and hundreds of kilos have been seized nationally, a lot of work's been done with the National Crime Commission, the Australian Federal Police, and joint operations from each state.

Despite all the supply-side reduction, we're still seeing ice usage in Australia remain the same or increase slightly, so there's got to be another element.

There's got to be another key to unlocking this problem and I think that key is the proactive services like addiction services, education and health.

Q. A lot of ice seized and usage rates are still high - how can those two things be correct?

You seize a lot of ice but there's still a lot coming into the country so it's difficult. As much as you seize, more comes over the horizon.

Sometimes the strategy for police is not just about seizing the ice but actually going after the financials of the people who are selling it or who are in the supply route.

If you can hurt them financially, you have a much longer disabling impact than you might do by just seizing ice because it's like putting your hand in a bucket of water, you take it out, the water's still there.

You're still seeing lots of ice coming from places like China.

Q. Is it coming in the same way as other drugs?

It comes in by boat, it comes in by plane, a lot of it comes in by post, police are doing a lot more around postal hubs now; so scanning packages, doing much more scanning than we used to do in conjunction with Australia Post and other national authorities.

Ports are obviously involved, but you can imagine the size of every port in Australia and how many thousands and thousands of shipping containers there are in there, and what might be in any of those shipping containers.

While it's important to focus your resources on the basis of intelligence, there's always going be ways that drugs can get into the country.

A lot of these drugs are distributed by organized crime gangs from overseas, so it requires international work as well, it requires understanding of international supply networks and intelligence sharing.

Q. How long do you think it will be before we can see a reduction across the board in usage?

I think if we're brave enough as a community to stick with the proactive strategies - that is education, therapy and health intervention - we will see a change and we will see a reduction.

We've seen that with some other types of drugs, but it will take five or six years to achieve so it's not a quick fix, we're in a situation now where it will take a lot of effort with multiple authorities to make a difference.

Q. Is it the highly addictive nature of this drug that keeps it going, in terms of demand?

It's the impact that it has on people and how it makes them feel that makes them keep going back for it and as you say, the highly addictive nature of it.

And as the purity goes up of course that creates additional problems, particularly in terms of the health impacts of the individuals. So you know, doctors could talk about this a lot more than I could but psychosis is obviously a big issue for many people who take high purity amphetamines.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-23/ice-age-meet-the-families-leading-the-fight/6878728

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-23/ice-age-meet-the-families-leading-the-fight/6878728

Ice Age: 7:30pm Friday night on ABC TV, meet the families leading the fight against ice addiction in WA’s regional towns

Updated 23 Oct 2015, 5:14am

Meet the families leading the fight against ice addiction in WA’s regional towns

ABC NEWS

Source: ABC News | Duration: 34sec

Topics: drugs-and-substance-abuse, wa

Liam Bartlett: Why WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has crossed the line

LIAM BARTLETT, PerthNow January 30, 2016

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/opinion/liam-bartlett/liam-bartlett-why-wa-police-commissioner-karl-ocallaghan-has-crossed-the-line/news-story/242653481717b584f10b3322f25f6a76

RADIO BATTLE: Karl O’Callaghan and Mark McGowan in on-air slanging match

600 CRIMES EVERY DAY: Police clueless over WA’s crime surge

CRIME INCREASE: WA Labor says Perth crime statistics are ‘devastating’

POLICE FIGURES: Extent of WA’s crime wave revealed as assaults, thefts increase

THE crime rate in this state is scandalous. Recording double-digit growth every month for the past seven months and currently 17 per cent up on last year, it’s beginning to impact on thousands of hard working West Australians.

People like “Mark” who woke about 4am on Wednesday, January 20, to discover two burglars in his Yokine home.

He chased them off the property and called police to make a statement at 4.15am.

About 5.30am he realised the iPhone that had been nicked was switched on, so using the Find My iPhone app he jumped in the car and tracked down the handset to an address in Embleton.

At 6am Mark phoned police with the details and was told they would “send the first available”. Two more calls later, the operator still couldn’t give him an ETA.

Exasperated, Mark had to go home to attend work but officers later told him the iPhone tracking app was not accurate enough to establish a warrant so they couldn’t knock on the door and demand entry anyway.

Undeterred, the next day Mark returned to the house and within five minutes of promising to doorknock the neighbours and let them know what they were living next to, convinced the occupants to hand over the stolen goods.

He’d achieved, as a simple, concerned citizen, what highly trained officers could not.

Frustrating scenarios like this that are symptomatic of a policing model ironically titled “Frontline 2020” – a system being led by a commissioner more concerned with playing politics and protecting his legacy than fixing the broken cogs in a wheel that has well and truly come off the tracks.

Karl O’Callaghan has been the state’s top cop for close to 12 years.

When you consider the leader of the free world is only allowed to serve eight, it’s more than possible Mr O’Callaghan has become stale, tired and autocratic.

On Tuesday, it also became crystal clear that he has run out of ideas on how to fix the problem.

That’s when he resorted to launching a political attack on the two most senior members of the State Opposition on Perth’s 6PR radio.

Mark McGowan fired back at Karl O’Callaghan on radio last week.

Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan said politicians didn’t bother to turn up to community meetings.

Labor has rightly been scathing of the failures of Frontline to deliver effective policing despite being in place for over a year but the commissioner decided to make it personal.

“We offered all parliamentarians a full briefing and …. ask us questions and very few turned up and Mark McGowan wasn’t among them”, he protested.

“He decided not to turn up at all and so missed the briefing completely … neither did Michelle Roberts for that particular event”, he said.

But he was wrong. It turns out Michelle Roberts was there, on behalf of Mr McGowan but that small fact didn’t bother big Karl.

He went on: “We’ve also had community events to explain to local communities like Rockingham and Mandurah and others about the changes,” he said.

“I’m happy to offer a broader briefing to politicians if they bother to turn up”.

Well, whoops again. The Opposition Leader did turn up – to one of two community briefings in Rockingham – and sent his two electorate officers to the other one.

Mr O’Callaghan has since sent a text message of apology to Ms Roberts. Mr McGowan is still waiting.

But for Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, it wasn’t simply wrong. It was an embarrassment to hear the leader of a law and order agency make such a fundamental error of fact.

And to use briefings that happened 18 months ago reeks of a drowning sailor clinging to the nearest piece of driftwood.

Police minister Liza Harvey.

It’s almost as cringe-worthy as some of the homilies that he and his sidekick, Police Minister Liza Harvey, have delivered to explain why the crime rate is surging and the response times slowing.

First it was leaving valuables in the car at the beach, then the ice epidemic taking over the globe and then it was our fault for not locking doors and windows at home.

Maybe the most breathtaking was being informed that we now live “in a big city” and had to change our way of thinking.

It can only be a matter of time before alien abduction is wheeled out at the next press conference.

​The Minister’s lack of public criticism of the commissioner’s political power play is disappointing but not unusual.

Despite recent damning reports detailing poor police conduct and systemic failures in the elite investigating body, she still sits firmly at the commissioner’s right hand. ​

Missing in action would be too kind an explanation. Mrs Harvey is paid top dollar in the ministry to ensure police deliver the right service to taxpayers.

Her first and last priority is to the people, not to the commissioner and she would do well to remember her obligations fall in that order.

Little wonder that some party members think she is not up to the job and ​have ​started the​ backroom machinations to quash her deputy leader ambitions and push Mike Nahan forward instead.

For the commissioner, the line has been crossed.

If he wanted to be police minister, he should have run for office, but while he holds an apolitical position of authority he should respect it and leave the public debate to those who are answerable to the public.

He could do worse than to concentrate on policing and ensure response teams were properly resourced and brought back from the “breaking point” that their union estimates they’ve reached.

However, after he flagged retirement in August 2017, the Barnett Government is now faced with a seat warmer who has lost his mojo.

If it can’t find a solution, the “Marks” in the suburbs will give the opposition a chance to hold their own briefings.

Liam Bartlett is a journalist with Channel Nine and can be seen on 9 News Perth

Email: lbartlett@nine.com.au

Police figures reveal extent of WA’s crime wave as assaults, burglaries, theft increase

PHIL HICKEY, PerthNow January 6, 2016 

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/police-figures-reveal-extent-of-was-crime-wave-as-assaults-burglaries-theft-increase/news-story/c77efcb8bbdf5b97c2afbd5a2d89ea45

CRIME across WA surged again in November with assaults, burglaries and theft among the offences with the biggest rise.

Police figures released on Tuesday show there were 3785 “crimes against the person” across WA.

That’s compared to 3260 such offences in November 2014.

Among the 3785 offences committed in November 2015 were 1726 domestic assaults and 1120 non-domestic assaults.

Theft cases last November rose to more than 8400 compared to just under 7000 the previous year.

Police were so concerned by the surge in crime that in August they announced Operation Sweep, a dedicated operation targeting “unseasonal crime trends” in the metropolitan area.

The operation commenced on August 17 in response to a 19.6 per cent crime increase last July, compared to July 2014.

Police Minister Liza Harvey. Picture: File image

The operation ceased on November 1.

Senior police bosses said in November the full effects of the operation will likely be realised in the months ahead.

Police Minister Liza Harvey has previously said she believed a major driver behind the crime wave was Perth’s ice problem.

“There is no easy lever we can pull here, we just have to keep working on it and keep trying to round the offenders up and particularly people peddling drugs in the community,” she said in late November.

Perth crime statistics ‘devastating’: WA Labor

AAP January 25, 2016 

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/perth-crime-statistics-devastating-wa-labor/news-story/b8f1917fb7872874a219cfcdfa3aa941

THE WA police commissioner has defended the state’s crime-fighting model amid calls from the opposition to scrap it.

Statistics released by Labor, attributed to the WA Police website, show an 89 per cent increase in the number of robberies in Perth and a seventh consecutive month of double-digit crime increase.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the “devastating” crime figures were a clear indication the state government’s policing model was not working.

“They need to get back to more traditional forms of policing, of police being on the street available, ready to respond at a moment’s notice,” he said.

WA Opposition Leader Mark McGowan. 

But Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said the opposition had been misleading with its statistics.

“It would be fair to say that crime remains at about 17 per cent above the previous year’s figures but it’s not correct to say it’s another increase,” Mr O’Callaghan told AAP.

“Because that gives you the impression there has been a double digit increase over the previous month and that’s not true,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

Mr O’Callaghan conceded there were parts of the state’s policing model than needed work, but said scrapping the entire system wouldn’t cut crime rates any faster.

“There may be aspects of the model that require tweaking and I accept that,” he said.

“We’ve done some of that already and will continue to do that, but I think its more complex than saying `the model isn’t working - lets scrap it and move on’.”

“It’s very easy for the opposition to say `it’s the model’ but we’re also seeing an increase in crime in regional WA where there is no new policing model.”

Acting police minister Bill Marmion said the Frontline 2020 policing strategy was about “working smarter” to target crime through several strategies.

He said the state government had also committed to adding a further 550 officers.

“It is a nonsense to suggest that we abandon a model that has resulted in more officers on the front line, more police cars on the road and significant increases in charges and prosecutions,” Mr Marmion said.

WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan and WA Labor leader Mark McGowan in on-air slanging match

KATE CAMPBELL, PerthNow January 26, 2016 

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-police-commissioner-karl-ocallaghan-and-opposition-leader-mark-mcgowan-in-onair-slanging-match/news-story/9f04431b3842c80abb2fab6e7f35d754

CRIME INCREASE: WA Labor says Perth crime statistics are ‘devastating’

POLICE FIGURES: Extent of WA’s crime wave revealed as assaults, thefts increase

POLICE Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan and Opposition Leader Mark McGowan have clashed on-air over WA’s controversial policing model with the police chief accused of being politically partisan.

In an interview on 6PR Radio on Tuesday, Mr O’Callaghan was responding to calls from Labor to scrap the much-maligned Frontline 2020 wake in the wake of the seventh consecutive month of double-digit increases in the crime rate compared to the same period the year before.

He said calls to axe the model were “overly simplistic” and accused Mr McGowan and opposition police spokeswoman Michelle Roberts of failing to attend bipartisan briefings.

“One of the things that concerns me is last year we offered all parliamentarians a full briefing and an opportunity to put ideas forward and ask us questions and very few turned up and Mark McGowan wasn’t among them, he decided not to turn up at all ... neither did Michelle Roberts,” he said.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/opinion/liam-bartlett/liam-bartlett-why-wa-police-commissioner-karl-ocallaghan-has-crossed-the-line/news-story/242653481717b584f10b3322f25f6a76

WA Police Commissioner's son Russell O'Callaghan sentenced to three years in prison for drug-fuelled bashing of ex-partner

By Joanna Menagh  2 Feb 2016, 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-02/russell-ocallaghan-son-wa-police-commissioner-sentenced-assault/7132740

PHOTO: Russell O'Callaghan bashed his former partner repeatedly over a two-day period, threatening to kill her in front of the couple's son. (Supplied: Nine News)

The son of the West Australian Police Commissioner has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for bashing his former partner 18 months ago.

Russell O'Callaghan was high on a combination of drugs when he repeatedly bashed and threatened to kill his former partner in front of their five-year-old son.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl O'Callaghan, pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting and threatening the then 29-year-old woman at her home in August 2014.

Perth District Court heard Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had gone to the woman's home to try to reconcile with her, but an argument started when she saw him sending text messages about drug-related matters.

Over the course of the next two days Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl O'Callaghan, assaulted her, including putting her in a headlock, choking her, sitting on top of her, holding scissors at her throat and striking her to the face, arms and back.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan made threats including that he was "going to bash the shit out of [her]", "gonna slit [her] throat", and said "if I can't be with you then I'm gonna kill you".

Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts.

Judge Linda Petrusa

O'Callaghan's lawyer Sandra De Maio said her client's behaviour was the result of him taking a "staggering" amount of drugs including methylamphetamine, heroin and ecstasy.

" Russell Joseph O'Callaghan was so drug affected the argument led to violence on his part," she said.

Ms De Maio said her client now accepted the relationship was over and he was committed to addressing his drug addiction.

She said Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had the support of his father the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, who "has assisted him, to see what options are available to him".

The Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan did not attend the sentencing hearing but provided the court with a reference for his son.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan has been in custody on remand for 14 months, and his lawyer urged the judge to impose a suspended term.

But Judge Linda Petrusa ignored the plea, and sentenced O'Callaghan to 38 months in prison.

Judge Petrusa described the offences as "serious" saying they involved "protracted violence in a domestic setting".

She warned Russell Joseph O'Callaghan he was at risk of reoffending if he did not address his drug addiction.

"Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts," she said.

With time already served he will be eligible for release on parole in five months.

It is not the first time O'Callaghan has been in jail.

In September 2011, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his involvement in a clandestine drug laboratory that exploded.

RELATED STORY: Police drop assault charges against commissioner's son

RELATED STORY: WA Police Commissioner's son pleads guilty to assaulting partner

RELATED STORY: WA Police Commissioner's son refused bail on assault charges

Russell O'Callaghan

Updated 2 Feb 2016, 5:17am

Russell O'Callaghan bashed his former partner repeatedly over a two-day period, threatening to kill her in front of the couple's son.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-02/russellocallaghan.jpg/7133994

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan.

Assault charges against WA police commissioner's son dropped

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-14/assault-charges-against-wa-police-commissioners-son-dropped/7026680

Prosecutors have dropped two common assault charges against the West Australian Police Commissioner's son, over a violent incident involving his former partner.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, has already pleaded guilty to other charges arising from the incident in August last year, including assault occasioning bodily harm and making threats to kill.

He is due to be sentenced in the District Court in February.

Today Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan appeared briefly in the Perth Magistrates Court this morning via video link from Casuarina prison when the two charges of common assault were officially discontinued.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan is still facing charges of breaching bail conditions and a violence restraining order.

The charges were adjourned until next year and O'Callaghan was again remanded in custody.

WA Police Commissioner's son Russell O'Callaghan pleads guilty to assault, threats to kill

Posted 29 Oct 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-29/police-commissioner-son-ocallaghan-guilty-of-kill-threats/6896216

The son of WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting and threatening to kill his partner.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had been due to stand trial before a jury next week but today appeared in the District Court and pleaded guilty to three charges.

The offences date back to August last year and involve his then partner, who is the mother of his child.

Two other charges, of unlawful detention and making a threat to prevent his partner calling police, were withdrawn.

No details were read to the court and Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, who appeared via video link from Casuarina prison, was remanded in custody until a hearing in January.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was initially granted home detention bail, but was taken back into custody two months later over allegations he breached his bail by trying to contact the victim.

The breach of bail charges will be dealt with in the Magistrates Court at a later date.

It is not the first time Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan has been behind bars.

In September 2011 he was sentenced to 16 months' jail for his involvement in a clandestine drug laboratory which exploded and left him with burns.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to manufacture methylamphetamine by assisting three other men to obtain the necessary drugs and equipment.

He served half of the 16-month term before he was released.

At his sentencing hearing, the court was told Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan had been addicted to amphetamines for a number of years, but he had been receiving treatment at a drug rehabilitation facility.

WA Police Commissioner's son refused bail on assault charges

By Joanna Menagh  23 Dec 2014,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-23/wa-police-commissioners-son-refused-bail-on-assault-charges/5985936

The son of Western Australia's Police Commissioner will stay behind bars after having his application for bail on a string of charges rejected.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was taken into custody in October after using social media to contact the mother of his child, who he is accused of holding against her will and assaulting.

O'Callaghan's father is the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan The 33-year-old had been granted home detention bail on the assault charges and was banned from having any direct or indirect contact with her.

The woman had also taken out a violence restraining order against him.

However, the Perth Magistrates Court was told today Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had engaged in a conversation on Facebook with her in which he had allegedly tried to get her to change her statement about the assault allegations.

Prosecutor Brian Costello said the messages were discovered when police took the woman's mobile phone as part of an investigation into another matter not involving Russell Joseph O'Callaghan

Prosecutor Brian Costello said the messages over three days "degenerated into abuse" and included threats of "a fairly vile nature".

The court heard the conversation took place in the days before Russell Joseph O'Callaghan

 was due to take up a place in a drug rehabilitation facility.

Woman 'feared for her safety if O'Callaghan released'

The court was also provided with an affidavit from the woman in which she said she feared for her safety if Russell Joseph O'Callaghan , the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was released form prison.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan 's lawyer Sandra De Maio said her client and the woman had broken up after a "long-standing relationship" and they had a five-year-old son together.

She said the woman initiated the contact and "when it became obvious she wanted to get back in a relationship, he caved... she contacted him and he finally caved."

Ms De Maio said the woman had also indicated to Russell Joseph O'Callaghan that she was going to change her statement about the assault allegations.

She said the Facebook messages degenerated when Russell Joseph O'Callaghan received threats against the safety of his parents.

"He feared for his family's safety," Ms De Maio said.

The court heard that if Russell Joseph O'Callaghan was released, he would take the position at the drug rehabilitation facility.

However, Magistrate Denis Temby refused the application on the grounds that Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had previous convictions for breaching violence restraining orders.

Magistrate Temby also noted comments in the woman's affidavit that Russell Joseph O'Callaghan’s behaviour could change quickly and he would become angry.

"It does seem to me he is something of a loose cannon," he said.

"When things change quickly he does seem to revert to old habits. I believe he is a potential risk to her."

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, who appeared in court via video link from Casuarina prison, was remanded in custody until he appears again late next month.

Topics: assault, courts-and-trials, police, perth-6000

The son of the West Australian Police Commissioner has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for bashing his former partner 18 months ago.

Russell O'Callaghan was high on a combination of drugs when he repeatedly bashed and threatened to kill his former partner in front of their five-year-old son.

O'Callaghan, the son of Karl O'Callaghan, pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting and threatening the then 29-year-old woman at her home in August 2014.

Perth District Court heard Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had gone to the woman's home to try to reconcile with her, but an argument started when she saw him sending text messages about drug-related matters.

Over the course of the next two days Russell Joseph O'Callaghan assaulted her, including putting her in a headlock, choking her, sitting on top of her, holding scissors at her throat and striking her to the face, arms and back.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan made threats including that he was "going to bash the shit out of [her]", "gonna slit [her] throat", and said "if I can't be with you then I'm gonna kill you".

Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts.

Judge Linda Petrusa

O'Callaghan's lawyer Sandra De Maio said her client's behaviour was the result of him taking a "staggering" amount of drugs including methylamphetamine, heroin and ecstasy.

" Russell Joseph O'Callaghan was so drug affected the argument led to violence on his part," she said.

Ms De Maio said her client now accepted the relationship was over and he was committed to addressing his drug addiction.

She said Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had the support of his father the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, who "has assisted him, to see what options are available to him".

The Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan did not attend the sentencing hearing but provided the court with a reference for his son.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan has been in custody on remand for 14 months, and his lawyer urged the judge to impose a suspended term.

But Judge Linda Petrusa ignored the plea, and sentenced O'Callaghan to 38 months in prison.

Judge Petrusa described the offences as "serious" saying they involved "protracted violence in a domestic setting".

She warned Russell Joseph O'Callaghan he was at risk of reoffending if he did not address his drug addiction.

"Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts," she said.

With time already served he will be eligible for release on parole in five months.

It is not the first time O'Callaghan has been in jail.

In September 2011, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his involvement in a clandestine drug laboratory that exploded.

The Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan to stands by his son

Outside court, Ms De Maio said O'Callaghan had the support of his father.

"Absolutely most definitely 100 per cent support from any loving and caring father [and] that's never waivered," she said.

"Drugs affect kids wherever they come from however good your background is.

"If your child is on drugs it's an awfully difficult thing then to overcome and he's still trying to do that."

Commissioner O'Callaghan held a press conference hours after the sentencing to discuss his son's crimes, saying he was disappointed and distressed by the actions of the younger O'Callaghan.

"From my perspective I guess Russell's got this widely publicised methamphetamine addiction but methamphetamine use is not an excuse for family violence," he said.

"He didn't offer it as an excuse, I don't accept it as an excuse.

"I think we have to be very clear that the two things are distinct and other people in Western Australia can't expect to use usage of drugs as an excuse for crimes of violence against women."

The commissioner said he agreed with the sentence handed down by Judge Petrusa.

"This is a very serious offence, and the details are quite serious so there needs to be a response from the justice system which is appropriate," Mr O'Callaghan said.

"They have to send a strong message to people out there that family violence is unacceptable.

"So I think the outcome is appropriate."

Police commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan

.

Leader of the opposition Mark McGowan.

“If you want a briefing on Frontline 2020 and want to understand what it’s all about and want to offer some alternative then organise a briefing through the minister and we will provide it for them rather than sit there and say let’s just scrap it and throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

An irate Mr McGowan called into the radio program, saying the Commissioner had got it wrong — Mrs Roberts was at the MPs’ briefing at the Constitutional Centre and he attended a briefing in his own electorate of Rockingham.

“The Police Commissioner is wrong, I don’t think he should have been political, I don’t think he should have been partisan, I think it’s a very disturbing development that a Police Commissioner is being politically partisan,” he said.

“The Police force and the Police Commissioner needs to be absolutely and completely bipartisan and not engage in political discourse. That’s a long tradition in Westminster style democracies and I’m sad and angry that it’s been broken.”

Mr McGowan said the important issue remained that the model was “clearly not working”.

The on-air slanging match continued with Mr O’Callaghan returning fire, ringing back and telling listeners the Opposition “redrew the lines” in dragging him into political debates.

“I absolutely agree ... a Police Commissioner should not be involved in political debate and remain apolitical,” he said.

“I’m very happy to stay out of the political debate as long as they keep me out of the political debate.”

Police the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan says more officers are on the streets.

Mr O’Callaghan said there were more officers out on the streets and more arrests being made, which he believed would further reduce the crime rate.

“But it will take time before it comes down below double digits and it will take more than just bashing up the police model. Someone is going to have to get policies in place for methamphetamine, domestic violence and a whole range of those other complicating factors which to some degree are outside the control of police,” he said.

There was a 14 per cent rise in crime reported in December 2015 compared to December 2014.

Mr McGowan said as horrible as the “ice” and domestic violence scourges were, they had been around “for years”, while the crime rate started to spike dramatically after Frontline 2020 was introduced.

the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan will not seek an extension of his current contract and plans to retire in August 2017 after 13 years at the helm.

The Opposition Leader said in regards to the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan tenure: “Change is normally a good thing.”

 

The Police Commissioner's son Russell Joseph O'Callaghan leaves the Perth Magistrates Court.  

The Police Commissioner's son Russell Joseph O'Callaghan leaves the Perth Magistrates Court.  Picture: Kerris Berrington

 

Karl O'Callaghan says his son Russell has made positive steps, despite new charges against him. 

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/karl-ocallaghan-speaks-about-sons-lapse-following-day-in-court-20140814-103yn9.html

AUGUST 14 2014

Karl O’Callaghan speaks about son's 'lapse' following day in court

 

Nicole Cox

WA’s Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan says he sympathises with families trying to support their drug-addicted children and believes his eldest son has made positive steps towards rehabilitation.

Speaking for the first time since his son Russell was charged over a domestic incident in which he allegedly made threats to kill and held his former partner against her will, Mr O’Callaghan said the road to recovery for drug abusers was long, arduous and often traumatic for families.

Question to be asked of WA’s Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O’Callaghan.

 

If he “..sympathises with families trying to support their drug-addicted children …and that

the road to recovery for drug abusers was long, arduous and often traumatic for families .. and this led to his own son Russell Joseph O’Callahan allegedly made threats to kill and held his former partner against her will…”

then why does WA’s Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O’Callaghan and previous Western Australian Police Commissioners allow Western Australian Police to be involved with criminal organisations and networks with the growing, manufacturing, importation, supply and distribution of illegal drugs  and many other serious criminal offences including rape. Armed robberies, abductions and murder … and are not interested in receiving and  taking any serious notice of information that will help solve serious crimes …. One of the reasons is that such information will lead to Western Australian Police being involved in association with involved with criminal organisations and networks with the growing, manufacturing, importation, supply and distribution of illegal drugs and many other serious criminal offences including rape. Armed robberies, abductions and murder .. and that on many occasions WA’s Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O’Callaghan and previous Western Australian Police Commissioners have allowed to be appointed in charge of certain investigations police that are involved in the crimes that they are responsible to investigate .. and/or are placed in charge of such criminal investigations for the purpose of making sure the real people involved and/or responsible for such crimes are protected because other police and/or their families and/or criminals and criminal organisations and networks that certain police are working with or for or in association with … are involved in the organising and/or committed such crimes …

WA Police Commissioner's son Russell O'Callaghan pleads guilty to assault, threats to kill

29 Oct 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-29/police-commissioner-son-ocallaghan-guilty-of-kill-threats/6896216

The son of WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting and threatening to kill his partner.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had been due to stand trial before a jury next week but today appeared in the District Court and pleaded guilty to three charges.

The offences date back to August last year and involve his then partner, who is the mother of his child.

Two other charges, of unlawful detention and making a threat to prevent his partner calling police, were withdrawn.

No details were read to the court and Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, who appeared via video link from Casuarina prison, was remanded in custody until a hearing in January.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was initially granted home detention bail, but was taken back into custody two months later over allegations he breached his bail by trying to contact the victim.

The breach of bail charges will be dealt with in the Magistrates Court at a later date.

It is not the first time Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan has been behind bars.

In September 2011 he was sentenced to 16 months' jail for his involvement in a clandestine drug laboratory which exploded and left him with burns.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to manufacture methylamphetamine by assisting three other men to obtain the necessary drugs and equipment.

He served half of the 16-month term before he was released.

At his sentencing hearing, the court was told Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan had been addicted to amphetamines for a number of years, but he had been receiving treatment at a drug rehabilitation facility.

 

WA Police Commissioner's son refused bail on assault charges

By Joanna Menagh  23 Dec 2014,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-23/wa-police-commissioners-son-refused-bail-on-assault-charges/5985936

The son of Western Australia's Police Commissioner will stay behind bars after having his application for bail on a string of charges rejected.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was taken into custody in October after using social media to contact the mother of his child, who he is accused of holding against her will and assaulting.

O'Callaghan's father is the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan The 33-year-old had been granted home detention bail on the assault charges and was banned from having any direct or indirect contact with her.

The woman had also taken out a violence restraining order against him.

However, the Perth Magistrates Court was told today Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had engaged in a conversation on Facebook with her in which he had allegedly tried to get her to change her statement about the assault allegations.

Prosecutor Brian Costello said the messages were discovered when police took the woman's mobile phone as part of an investigation into another matter not involving Russell Joseph O'Callaghan

Prosecutor Brian Costello said the messages over three days "degenerated into abuse" and included threats of "a fairly vile nature".

The court heard the conversation took place in the days before Russell Joseph O'Callaghan

 was due to take up a place in a drug rehabilitation facility.

Woman 'feared for her safety if O'Callaghan released'

The court was also provided with an affidavit from the woman in which she said she feared for her safety if Russell Joseph O'Callaghan , the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan was released form prison.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan 's lawyer Sandra De Maio said her client and the woman had broken up after a "long-standing relationship" and they had a five-year-old son together.

She said the woman initiated the contact and "when it became obvious she wanted to get back in a relationship, he caved... she contacted him and he finally caved."

Ms De Maio said the woman had also indicated to Russell Joseph O'Callaghan that she was going to change her statement about the assault allegations.

She said the Facebook messages degenerated when Russell Joseph O'Callaghan received threats against the safety of his parents.

"He feared for his family's safety," Ms De Maio said.

The court heard that if Russell Joseph O'Callaghan was released, he would take the position at the drug rehabilitation facility.

However, Magistrate Denis Temby refused the application on the grounds that Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had previous convictions for breaching violence restraining orders.

Magistrate Temby also noted comments in the woman's affidavit that Russell Joseph O'Callaghan’s behaviour could change quickly and he would become angry.

"It does seem to me he is something of a loose cannon," he said.

"When things change quickly he does seem to revert to old habits. I believe he is a potential risk to her."

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, who appeared in court via video link from Casuarina prison, was remanded in custody until he appears again late next month.

Topics: assault, courts-and-trials, police, perth-6000

 

The son of the West Australian Police Commissioner has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for bashing his former partner 18 months ago.

Russell O'Callaghan was high on a combination of drugs when he repeatedly bashed and threatened to kill his former partner in front of their five-year-old son.

O'Callaghan, the son of Karl O'Callaghan, pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting and threatening the then 29-year-old woman at her home in August 2014.

Perth District Court heard Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had gone to the woman's home to try to reconcile with her, but an argument started when she saw him sending text messages about drug-related matters.

Over the course of the next two days Russell Joseph O'Callaghan assaulted her, including putting her in a headlock, choking her, sitting on top of her, holding scissors at her throat and striking her to the face, arms and back.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan made threats including that he was "going to bash the shit out of [her]", "gonna slit [her] throat", and said "if I can't be with you then I'm gonna kill you".

Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts.

Judge Linda Petrusa

O'Callaghan's lawyer Sandra De Maio said her client's behaviour was the result of him taking a "staggering" amount of drugs including methylamphetamine, heroin and ecstasy.

" Russell Joseph O'Callaghan was so drug affected the argument led to violence on his part," she said.

Ms De Maio said her client now accepted the relationship was over and he was committed to addressing his drug addiction.

She said Russell Joseph O'Callaghan had the support of his father the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan, who "has assisted him, to see what options are available to him".

The Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan did not attend the sentencing hearing but provided the court with a reference for his son.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan has been in custody on remand for 14 months, and his lawyer urged the judge to impose a suspended term.

But Judge Linda Petrusa ignored the plea, and sentenced O'Callaghan to 38 months in prison.

Judge Petrusa described the offences as "serious" saying they involved "protracted violence in a domestic setting".

She warned Russell Joseph O'Callaghan he was at risk of reoffending if he did not address his drug addiction.

"Unless you get on top of your drug habit this isn't the last time you'll come before the courts," she said.

With time already served he will be eligible for release on parole in five months.

It is not the first time O'Callaghan has been in jail.

In September 2011, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his involvement in a clandestine drug laboratory that exploded.

The Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan to stands by his son

Outside court, Ms De Maio said O'Callaghan had the support of his father.

"Absolutely most definitely 100 per cent support from any loving and caring father [and] that's never waivered," she said.

"Drugs affect kids wherever they come from however good your background is.

"If your child is on drugs it's an awfully difficult thing then to overcome and he's still trying to do that."

Commissioner O'Callaghan held a press conference hours after the sentencing to discuss his son's crimes, saying he was disappointed and distressed by the actions of the younger O'Callaghan.

"From my perspective I guess Russell's got this widely publicised methamphetamine addiction but methamphetamine use is not an excuse for family violence," he said.

"He didn't offer it as an excuse, I don't accept it as an excuse.

"I think we have to be very clear that the two things are distinct and other people in Western Australia can't expect to use usage of drugs as an excuse for crimes of violence against women."

The commissioner said he agreed with the sentence handed down by Judge Petrusa.

"This is a very serious offence, and the details are quite serious so there needs to be a response from the justice system which is appropriate," Mr O'Callaghan said.

"They have to send a strong message to people out there that family violence is unacceptable.

"So I think the outcome is appropriate."

Western A ustralian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan speaks out on battling ice 'epidemic'

by David Weber 23 Oct 2015     

 

Photo: Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan

PHOTO: Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan says prison is not the best option for rehabilitation of ice users. 


Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl Joseph O'Callaghan comforts his son Russell Joseph O'Callaghan  in hospital after his  so Russell Joseph O'Callaghan   blew up himself in a home based Crystal Meth Factory in a Western Australian Homes West Housing Estate.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-23/karl-ocallaghan-says-ice-epidemic-take-years-to-control/6879910

PHOTO: Russell O'Callaghan bashed his former partner repeatedly over a two-day period, threatening to kill her in front of the couple's son.

The son of the West Australian Police Commissioner has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for bashing his former partner 18 months ago.

Over the course of the next two days Russell Joseph O'Callaghan, the son of the Western Australian Police Commissioner Dr Karl O'Callaghan, assaulted her, including putting her in a headlock, choking her, sitting on top of her, holding scissors at her throat and striking her to the face, arms and back.

Russell Joseph O'Callaghan made threats including that he was "going to bash the shit out of [her]", "gonna slit [her] throat", and said "if I can't be with you then I'm gonna kill you".

“..The ice issue comes up in every regional community forum, so our regional communities are telling us that ice is infiltrating those communities..”

“..There's anecdotal evidence that the increase in the purity of ice is partly down to the importation, ... because ice as we knew it, 10 years ago, it was something being made up in peoples' backyards or kitchens..”

“..It is very difficult because you remove one drug dealer, another drug dealer moves in, and you're seeing this pattern all over Australia, so it's quote a complex thing to deal with..”

" ..I think the idea of someone going to prison for rehabilitation is sort of a bit twisted, because it's no secret that there's simply not enough resources to provide rehabilitation for all the people in the prison system who have some sort of drug addiction problem…”

“..There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in…”

“..There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in…”

“..You're still seeing lots of ice coming from places like China, ... you seize a lot of ice but there's still a lot coming into the country so it's difficult, as much as you seize, more comes over the horizon…”

 

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan reveals ice addicts are unlikely to get clean in jail, and says he believes the battle against the ice epidemic will take years to win.

The Commissioner said he believed it would take a multi-agency approach to combat the problem, with rehabilitation and education playing important roles alongside law enforcement.

Q. Commissioner O'Callaghan, is this an epidemic?

I think it can be described as an epidemic.

There's never been such a big focus on one single drug, certainly in the time I've been a police officer and the time I've been Police Commissioner.

So we focus a lot on drugs generally, but now we're focusing on one particular type of drug and we're seeing it impact every aspect of our lives.

Crime obviously, but it's affecting families, and in the health department and it impinges on us everywhere.

When people tend to look back at something similar they think about heroin in the 1970s, but they also say heroin didn't cause as much of an impact on people around the user.

It's the type of drug that ice or methamphetamine actually is, what it does is it causes people to actually become hyper-excited in a lot of circumstances, and they can become violent and aggressive ... unlike heroin.

And that spills over into the way they interact with the public and the way they go about their lives, and so it does have an impact on lots of people.

Q. Are police resources stretched in dealing with it?

Police resources are trying to find new ways of dealing with this so for argument's sake we are seeing an upward swing in the crime rate, we have to do something about that, we have to be able to respond and there's no doubt that ice and methamphetamine generally is taxing us and not just in Western Australia, all over Australia.

Q. Is it tying up an inordinate amount of police resources?

The flow-on effect of people using ice is tying up an inordinate amount of police resources, so if you look at suburbs where people are dealing in ice, using ice, you see a flow-on effect like increases in burglaries, increases in car thefts, increases in anti-social behaviour, increases in family violence and all of those things ultimately have an impact, not only on police, but on a whole range of other government agencies as well.

The crimes that are not necessarily associated with the using of the drug, or the selling of the drug, the extra crimes.

Definitely there are extra crimes and some of those crimes as we have seen are around theft and burglary, the people who are using ice wanting to get at property to convert it to cash to be able to buy drugs to feed their habit, so this is why we're seeing such a big impact on the crime rate.

An ice addict eventually has to be able to feed their habit, now the cost of ice is about $600 a gram, so that money has to be found from somewhere.

A lot of these people simply have to be able to commit crime to fund their habit, so if they weren't under the influence of ice or they weren't addicts, they probably wouldn't commit crimes.

Q. A counsellor told me the cost of a gram is about $300 and there have been comments from police where that it's up around $1,000. So, how much is it?

It does depend on a range of things, it depends on who the seller is, I think the average across Western Australia is about $600 a gram, it is $100 a hit if people want to buy it that way, obviously larger quantities run into the thousands and thousands of dollars.

Q. And probably more in the regions as opposed to Perth?

Well I think it's all about supply and demand and risk really, so that drives the price of drugs all over Australia.

Q. What about the regions, are we facing an epidemic outside of Perth?

I've been to a number of community forums in the past few months and the ice issue comes up in every regional community forum, so our regional communities are telling us that ice is infiltrating those communities.

It's having an effect on people in those communities, we're seeing it affect Aboriginal communities and remote Aboriginal communities, so nobody and no place in Western Australia is immune.

There's anecdotal evidence that the increase in the purity of ice is partly down to the importation of ice because ice as we knew it, 10 years ago, it was something being made up in peoples' backyards or kitchens.

Q. Is there evidence that there's been more importation than there has been in the past?

Ice by definition is the more pure form of methamphetamine, so we've seen since about 2010 a shift from people using methamphetamine to using ice, which is the more pure form.

Ice is currently about 65 per cent pure, so it's very high, it mostly comes in from China so although we've heard of clan labs and people manufacturing locally, that is only addiction-based and provides very small amounts of methamphetamine.

Q. Has the rule at chemists that stops people from buying pseudoephedrine in bulk had an impact?

We've definitely seen a reduction in the number of clan labs in Western Australia and around Australia generally, so people who want to go and buy pseudoephedrine-based products from the chemist now have to register, have to show some ID.

We think it is having some effect.

Q. Can that be chalked up as something of a victory, because there was a period there when there was a massive number of clan labs being discovered?

If we can connect the two things together, and I think we can, it has made a significant improvement, and the improvement is in two areas.

We're seeing less clan labs so less methamphetamine being manufactured for addiction purposes, but the big game has been the reduction in the danger to the community.

We've seen in the past of course some of those clan labs have been very volatile, they cause explosions and that has an impact on people living around the area where those things are being manufactured.

Q. Has information from the community helped the cracking down on the clan labs?

I think the community are much more involved in the discussion about meth and ice than they were some years ago, and I think part of that is to do with the shifting focus.

We're seeing a very significant national focus now, a 'joined up' response to the whole methamphetamine–ice epidemic.

Q. There's been a bit of publicity recently about a particular house in White Gum Valley, and residents asking why this so-called drug house can't be shut down, and then people rang up talkback radio saying 'There's one near our house'. Why can't those houses be shut down?

You can charge people who are dealing in the drug but you can't shut down a house, so you can actually go and charge them for the actual dealing, take them to court, they get a fine or they get some sort of punishment for that, but ultimately there's no power to shut down a house to stop dealing from that particular house.

And it is very difficult because you remove one drug dealer, another drug dealer moves in and you're seeing this pattern all over Australia so it's quite a complex thing to deal with.

Part of the thing for us is getting better intelligence.

One of the reasons we created last year the local policing teams in Perth was for them to spend more time focusing on suburban drug dealers, because we had a lot of complaints from the public, not just about the dealing, but all the anti-social behaviour flow-ons from a drug house.

There's a view in some circles that addicts should be thrown into prison to dry them out, but a couple of addicts, ex-addicts, I've spoken to have said drugs are available in prison and they came out as addicted as when they went in.

Q. To what extent are drugs available in prison and what's being done about it?

I think it's no secret that drugs are available in prison or they get into prisons.

There's been quite a bit of work done with the Department of Corrective Services on operations to target that, to stop drugs getting into prisons.

I think the idea of someone going to prison for rehabilitation is sort of a bit twisted, because it's no secret that there's simply not enough resources to provide rehabilitation for all the people in the prison system who have some sort of drug addiction problem.

These sort of addictions are not best treated in prison, they're best treated in proper therapeutic programs.

Rehabilitation in prison can never be as complete as rehabilitation in a dedicated facility.

If you're in a dedicated facility, you're there all day long, seven days a week dealing with your addiction.

If you're in prison you might get contact from a counsellor once a day or once a week or once every few days. So the whole program is different in the prison system.

Q. There have also been calls for ice to be legalised, is that conceivable?

That debate is really about health rather than about police.

We've seen that the use of ice has very significant impact on the health system, we know it causes psychosis, we know there's a lot of debate about what do we do with people who have mental health issues, can they be forcibly detained, forcibly rehabilitated?

The thing about legalising ice, the first thing that that would do, it would have a massive impact on our health system.

Q. Would there be more or less crime?

It's very difficult to say, I don't think there would necessarily be less crime because of it but we would certainly see some very big impacts across broader government systems.

Q. In relation to dealing with the ice problem, the Federal Government has said this won't be a 'quick fix' and there needs to be a multi-faceted approach. To what extent are police, authorities and other organisations helping each other already in relation to this?

There's a very, very strong national approach to the whole problem of methamphetamine and ice, so hundreds and hundreds of kilos have been seized nationally, a lot of work's been done with the National Crime Commission, the Australian Federal Police, and joint operations from each state.

Despite all the supply-side reduction, we're still seeing ice usage in Australia remain the same or increase slightly, so there's got to be another element.

There's got to be another key to unlocking this problem and I think that key is the proactive services like addiction services, education and health.

Q. A lot of ice seized and usage rates are still high - how can those two things be correct?

You seize a lot of ice but there's still a lot coming into the country so it's difficult. As much as you seize, more comes over the horizon.

Sometimes the strategy for police is not just about seizing the ice but actually going after the financials of the people who are selling it or who are in the supply route.

If you can hurt them financially, you have a much longer disabling impact than you might do by just seizing ice because it's like putting your hand in a bucket of water, you take it out, the water's still there.

You're still seeing lots of ice coming from places like China.

Q. Is it coming in the same way as other drugs?

It comes in by boat, it comes in by plane, a lot of it comes in by post, police are doing a lot more around postal hubs now; so scanning packages, doing much more scanning than we used to do in conjunction with Australia Post and other national authorities.

Ports are obviously involved, but you can imagine the size of every port in Australia and how many thousands and thousands of shipping containers there are in there, and what might be in any of those shipping containers.

While it's important to focus your resources on the basis of intelligence, there's always going be ways that drugs can get into the country.

A lot of these drugs are distributed by organized crime gangs from overseas, so it requires international work as well, it requires understanding of international supply networks and intelligence sharing.

Q. How long do you think it will be before we can see a reduction across the board in usage?

I think if we're brave enough as a community to stick with the proactive strategies - that is education, therapy and health intervention - we will see a change and we will see a reduction.

We've seen that with some other types of drugs, but it will take five or six years to achieve so it's not a quick fix, we're in a situation now where it will take a lot of effort with multiple authorities to make a difference.

Q. Is it the highly addictive nature of this drug that keeps it going, in terms of demand?

It's the impact that it has on people and how it makes them feel that makes them keep going back for it and as you say, the highly addictive nature of it.

And as the purity goes up of course that creates additional problems, particularly in terms of the health impacts of the individuals. So you know, doctors could talk about this a lot more than I could but psychosis is obviously a big issue for many people who take high purity amphetamines.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-23/ice-age-meet-the-families-leading-the-fight/6878728

Ice Age: 7:30pm Friday night on ABC TV, meet the families leading the fight against ice addiction in WA’s regional towns

Updated 23 Oct 2015, 5:14am

Meet the families leading the fight against ice addiction in WA’s regional towns

ABC NEWS

Source: ABC News | Duration: 34sec

Topics: drugs-and-substance-abuse, wa

 

Prison scandal: Crackdown exposes crooked jail guards
EXCLUSIVE Grant Taylor
Monday, 23 January 2017 


 Acacia Prison
Acacia Prison

http://www.guymerbailey.com.au/prisons-and-justice-architect-design/acacia-prison

Guymer Bailey Architects partnered Peter Hunt Architects in Perth in a successful design, construct and operate bid tendered by the Western Australian government to create the State’s first privately operated prison.
The brief was to design and build a medium security correctional facility with a 750 bed capacity, master planned to expand to 1100 beds. The design incorporates secure accommodation, a gate house, visitors’ centre, medical centre, as well as special care, geriatric, educational and spiritual amenities. Also available in the Acacia Prison Architecture is a range of vocational training resources and the supportive administration facilities.
Guymer Bailey’s design focus was to create a prison environment to be as much a normal community as possible or, in other words, an appropriate environment for rehabilitation coupled with personal development and improvement programs. The education and training facilities are crucial to improve employment opportunities on release from custody. Therefore, Acacia Prison functions in an open-campus layout with landscaped gardens and structures designed with differing cultural groups in mind. The open plan allows significant freedom of movement within the secure perimeter allowing prisoners to move around the campus using smart card technology, so as to promote their on-going confidence and responsibility.
The accommodation is separated into three levels of security classifications, each allowing varying degrees of privileges. Levels 1 and 2 accommodation are high and medium secure cell blocks. Level 3 accommodates 168 prisoners housed in six bed residential style self-care units clustered around recreational facilities.
CLIENT: AIMS
LOCATION: Wooroloo, WA
PROJECT TEAM: Guymer Bailey Architects & Peter Hunt Architect
Photography by: Peter Hunt Architect & Guymer Bailey Architects
http://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/prisons/prison-locations/acacia.aspx
Acacia Prison is one of 2 privately-managed prisons in Western Australia. The prison is owned by the Department of Corrective Services which contracts management of the prison to an external service provider - Serco.
Acacia's open-plan, campus-style design means prisoners can move around within the complex fairly freely. Prisoners use 'smart card' technology to move within the prison, access their bank accounts and buy goods from the canteen.
Acacia's focus is on rehabilitation and it has a number of industries prisoners can work in including metal work and wood work.
Fast facts
Opened: May 2001
Gender of population: Male
Security level: Medium
Total capacity:
(as at 16 January 2017) 1513
Location: 54.6 km east of Perth
Visiting
All visits by appointment only.
To make an appointment:
phone +61 8 9573 3300 and select option 1
Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 11.30 am and 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm
Friday visit bookings close Thursday 11.30 am
Saturday bookings close Friday 11.30 am
Sunday bookings close Friday 3.00 pm
The number of visitors per visit is limited to 6 with a maximum of 3 adults.
Visiting times
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 8.00 am to 9.15 am, 9.45 am to 11.15 am, 1.00 pm to 2.30 pm, 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm
Protection only visits: Monday 9.45 am, Saturday 1.00 pm, Sunday 8.00 am
All other visits are Mainstream.
Getting there
A free bus service is available from Midland Train Station on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The bus service must be booked when the visit is booked as seats are limited.
Buses leave Midland Train Station on: Friday at 7.15 am, 8.45 am and 2.00 pm, Saturday at 7.00 am, 8.45 am and 2.00 pm, Sunday at 7.15 am, 8.45 am and 2.00 pm, Monday at 7.15 am, 8.45 am and 2.00 pm
There are no public transport services to the prison.
Cashier
The cashier is available Monday to Sunday 8.00 am to 11.30 am and 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm, except public holidays.
Cash and EFTPOS available.
Contact details: Acacia Prison, Great Eastern Highway, WOOROLOO WA 6558
Telephone: +61 8 9573 3300, Facsimile: +61 8 9573 3350
Postal address: Acacia Prison, Locked Bag 1, WOOROLOO WA 6558


https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/crackdown-exposes-crooked-jail-guards-ng-b88359587z

Almost one prison guard a week has been sacked or has quit before they were forced out as part of a crackdown on corruption and serious misconduct inside WA jails.

Figures provided by the Department of Corrective Services show 25 guards lost their jobs in the first six months of this financial year. Another 12 are suspended for offences that were likely to result in their dismissal if proved.

The half-year figures represent a significant increase on the previous full financial year when 16 DCS employees lost their jobs. Nine were forced out in 2014-15.

Drug dealing, sexual misconduct, violence towards inmates, misusing prison computers and crimes committed outside prison such as domestic violence were some of the offences that guards — including youth custodial officers — were investigated over.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis welcomed the results, claiming the figures were a “vindication” of his efforts to push through controversial anti-corruption measures which he said were helping to clean up the jail system.

Those measures included mandatory drug and alcohol testing, introducing a police-style “loss of confidence” process to make it easier to sack staff suspected of corruption and re-forming a joint police and prisons task force to investigate crimes behind bars.
“It is not acceptable at any level for people who are paid by the taxpayer to help reform prisoners to be involved in inappropriate activities,” Mr Francis said.
“You probably belong behind bars yourself... and at the very minimum there is no place for you on the public payroll.”

The loss-of-confidence process accounted for only one of this year’s job losses and resulted in a guard tendering his resignation before a decision about his future had been made.

The allegations are understood to have involved claims of inappropriate sexual conduct towards an inmate.

Another officer resigned late last year over allegations he was responsible for getting a female inmate pregnant at Bandyup.

Shadow corrective services minister Paul Papalia said that though he agreed corrupt officers needed to be weeded out, he did not believe corruption was widespread and accused the Government of ignoring the real problems in WA jails.

“We have had 53 per cent growth in the prison population in eight years and crime is still going up,” Mr Papalia said.
“What they are doing is clearly not working.”
In the past three months, mandatory drug tests have snared four officers — three of whom tested positive to drugs.

The fourth refused to take a drug test, which was likely to result in their dismissal. Two other officers were allegedly caught in possession of methamphetamine and their cases are before the courts.
Det-Sen Sgt Ian Thompson, who heads the joint task force investigating corruption in jails, said methamphetamine use among prison staff was a growing concern because it made them vulnerable to being corrupted.
“Meth is a growing problem in the broader community and guards are members of that community,” Det-Sen. Sgt Thompson said.

“But they are also public officers and they must be held to a higher standard, just like police officers.”
DCS Deputy Commissioner Tony Hassell said the vast majority of prison guards were doing the right thing, but the actions of a few were threatening to undermine that valuable work.
“Our message on corruption or serious misconduct in prisons is clear: if you are proven to do the wrong thing, putting others at risk and our operations, you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Mr Hassell said.
WA Prison Officers’ Union secretary John Welch said his members were not opposed to greater scrutiny, provided they were dealt with fairly and were not denied due process if accused of wrongdoing.