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Archived Press Releases 2008 1st June 2008

Has New Zealand become a land fit for criminals?

(1st June 2008)

That is the question the Sensible Sentencing Trust are asking after the man accused of killing Hawkes Bay farmer Jack Nicholas was found not guilty in the Napier High Court.

Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said that serious flaws in the current justice process had been exposed and needed urgent action if public confidence was to be restored.

“Our Justice System is now on life support and in danger of thrashing itself to death.”

McVicar said urgent attention must be given to establishing guidelines for defence counsel. “These guys are using every trick in the book and inventing new ones totally at will.”

“In the Nicholas case the defence were able to suggest that Agnes Nicholas was covering up for someone else and also that her daughter-in-law was lying when she said they were at home when they heard the shots.”

“The defence never put that proposition to the two women when they were being cross exammined yet the Judge allowed it to be brought up in the defence's summing up.”

“That action alone was enough to put doubt in the jury’s mind and that was exactly what the defence intended.”

McVicar said the integrity of the Justice System was at stake. “We can expect defence lawyers to use gutter tactics but when Judges allow it serious concerns about the longevity and integrity of the system were raised.”

“It is not surprising New Zealand has appalling crime statistics when the actions of criminals were being underwritten by the antics of defence lawyers”.

McVicar said that as a consequence of recent events the Sensible Sentencing Trust was arranging to bring a British crime expert and author to visit New Zealand .

“It is our intention to expose how corrupt crime, justice and sentencing policies have become in New Zealand .”

For more information go to www.landfitforcriminals.org.nz

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.