Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Wrongfully Imprisoned for 27 years, but cough up for room and board.

Andrew Mallard has been awarded $3.25 million as compensation for the twelve years he spent behind bars in Western Australia for a murder he didn't commit. This figure is nowhere near a just amount for the more than a decade spent behind bars. No amount of money can ever compensate for that loss.

In the UK on March 9 this year, Sean Hodgson was released after 27 years in prison. He was, like Mallard in WA, banged up for a murder he didn't commit.

Hodgson will undoubtedly be eventually compensated by the British Government for this miscarriage of justice. Unlike Australia, however (as far as I am aware), he will have his payout docked for almost three decades' worth of room and board (or "saved living expenses" as they call it). His lawyers estimate this will be at least 100,000 pounds. Don't believe it? It's happened before!

Greatest justice system in the world, eh?

2 comments:

Oliver Townshend said...

Note that Mallard received an ex-gratia payment, not compensation, so the same might apply to him as it is an application of the law of torts, and legal principles apply.

Anonymous said...

if there were justice in the world, one would hope that the 'bill' goes to the old bill. It shocking that they have the audacity to bill them!