Paul Galbally, acting for Sue Neill-Fraser at a directions hearing at Hobart’s Supreme Court today, requested that the court agree to a change of date for the new Appeal as Tom Percy, who has been leading Sue’s defence, is not available for the original proposed Appeal date of 2 -13 March 2020. Mr Galbally requested the date be changed to 25 May 2020, with two weeks being set aside, reports Rosie Crumpton-Crook of the Neill-Fraser Support Group.
Presiding at the hearing were Justice Wood, Justice Pearce and Justice Estcourt, who will hear the Appeal.
Daryl Coates and Jack Shapiro were representing the Crown, Paul Galbally was video linked from Melbourne. Sue Neill-Fraser was video linked from Risdon prison.
Daryl Coates presented a letter to the court regarding the submission of evidence. He stated that some evidence may be presented by consent, but a significant amount of the evidence presented to Justice Brett during the application for appeal will be contentious. Coates stated that the Crown will not consent to a lot of the Applicant’s material.
Coates stated that the question of the Meaghan Vass DNA was the most arguable fresh evidence. Coates stated that some of the evidence brought by the defence was ”inadmissible opinion, some wasn’t fresh and compelling and some of it was just completely irrelevant.”
At one stage Justice Estcourt appeared to speculate that the prosecution will be saying that the evidence of Vass is unreliable and therefore not compelling. (Ed: But her testimony as per her 60 Minutes admission and her affidavit that she witnessed the events at the crime scene are corroborated by the DNA evidence.)
A further Directions Hearing will be held in early February.
I am at a loss for words. I have just finished watching the documentaryon Plus 7. What a cock up. What a disgrace. I am starting to think that the two men on the yacht were people of some importance. Polie maybe why else keep perverting justice if the were just 2 petty crooks who would care. Why else would Meaghan be so terrified?
Meaghan is terrified of the people who have pressured her to provide false affidavits. You can take a good guess at who some of those people are. A friend of mine knows the bikie guy. There is a talk that Meaghan owed him money for drugs. Where else could an unemployed and homeless person get expensive drugs such as ice?
Meaghan may be expected to be equally terrified of those who she saw at the scene of the crime on Australia Day 2009…
A friend of mine knows the bikie guy also.
Andrew in Tasmania, everybody only needs to ask one person x3 and a connection will be there.
There is always talk, and character assassination.
This statement is absolutely typical of Tasmania, character assassination and innuendo, and the suckers that want to believe it, they believe it.
I am so far in, I have so much evidence and experience of Tasmania’s deceit and lies it blew my mind.
And I will be back riding and walking the streets for the Royal Commission Tasmania.
Irrespective of the length of the queue of cases to go before the Appeals Court, it is a stark reminder of the inhumanity of our government and its rigid systems. In a case where there is very compelling indications a travesty of justice has occured, it is disgraceful that matters cannot be expedited for someone potentially wrongly incarcerated for so long.
The Man in the Iron Mask comes to mind, reminding us that the feudal systems of centuries long gone are still very much in place. Welcome to Spazmania.
Still no justice for Sue!!!! Her legal team requested the delay – surely it was known when the appeal dates were set around availability – not good enough for Sue. She still has to remain in prison. As for the DPP and Mr Coates – it is very clear that he continues to be up to the same old tricks particularly around the DNA evidence. Tasmania’s justice system and those who work within it continue to be as corrupt as they always have been – more evidence that a Royal Commission chaired by someone outside Tasmania is required. He continues to try to discredit Meagan – not going to work – stay strong Meagan as we support you. Everyone involved is running very scared of the outcome and will try to prevent the appeal from happening. And still – Sue does not spend Christmas with her family while everyone else does – what price is a life worth???? Get the appeal over, set Sue free then charge all those involved with perverting the course of justice and put them in Risdon Prison – now that would make many people happy.
Oh no! Poor Sue! More months of jail time and uncertainty. When will it ever end?
“Appeal”! What a word that is. It has the ring of “please forgive me” does it not? The refusal to admit malpractice by the authorities is more important than ordinary human decency. There is no sane reason not to release Susan Neill-Fraser pending formalities.
A black shadow of doubt has been cast by the disclosure of Meagan Vass but not a word about consequent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her claim that she has known all along who the guilty party is. Where is the information that Tasmanian Police have done anything at all apart from finding what a despicable cock-up they made of the whole thing and are continuing to do so?
Patience Sue, it takes some men longer than others to grow up.
Really? Another postponement? What next? The courts will be closed for painting and decorating? Surely Sue and her family have endured enough delays……