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A-G seeks advice on Mallard compensation

Posted October 8, 2008 19:04:00
Updated October 8, 2008 20:20:00

Christian Porter

Christian Porter is trying to determine how much compensation should be paid to Andrew Mallard. (ABC)

The Western Australian Attorney-General, Christian Porter, says he has asked the State Solicitor's Office to work quickly to decide how much compensation the state should pay Andrew Mallard, who spent 12 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

In 2006 the High Court quashed Mr Mallard's conviction for the 1994 murder of Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence.

The Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) yesterday released misconduct findings against assistant police commissioners Mal Shervill and Dave Caporn, along with the Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer involved in the case, Ken Bates.

Mr Porter says he has asked the Solicitor General to make his assessment of Mr Mallard's right to compensation a priority.

"What the CCC report speaks to is the nature and extent of involvement of the state of Western Australia in Andrew Mallard's wrongful imprisonment," he said.

"That's something that the Solicitor General has to consider in all of its detail before he's able to give me advice on the potentiality of liability and the potentiality of compensation.

"It is a priority and it's something that we'd like to achieve as quickly as possible ... for the Attorney-General, myself, to meet with Andrew Mallard and his representatives," he said.

"But that will occur after we receive advice from the Solicitor General on the matter."

Tags: liberal-party, nationals, courts-and-trials, judges-and-legal-professionals, police, prisons-and-punishment, murder-and-manslaughter, wa, perth-6000

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