The Brad Shipton parole recall
January 17th, 2009 at 2:30 pm by David FarrarIt is disturbing that allegations you have breached your parole can be taken as fact, without an investigation.
I am no fan of Brad Shipton (and criticised the fact Labour’s law allowed him out after one third of his sentence) but why were moves taken to cancel his parole on the basis of an allegation he was seen meeting someone in breach of his parole conditions?
Luckily he had video proof he was in another city at the time.
Should Corrections and or the Police not investigate the person who falsely alleged he had broken his parole?
Related posts:
- Labour lets pack rapist Shipton out early
- HoS apologies to Sharon Shipton
- Shipton out of prison
- Sleazy Shipton
January 17th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
This was an eye witness allegation which should have remained outside the public eye until there was some evidence to back up the claim. But no, the MSM decided “bugger any reporting standards, let’s run some sensational crap and sell some advertising”.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
And “Shipton stays out of jail”, cries a large photo caption on Yahoo.com’s news page, suggesting perhaps that he would be there if it weren’t for luck or the machinations of clever lawyers.
Corrections Department’s misguided enthusiasm for chasing its man was indecent on this occasion. There wasn’t even a thought given, it appears, to principles of natural justice – the man was deemed guilty of his latest misdemeanour until he proved that its commission was physically impossible.
The Department is a mess, and has been for years. I expect the new Minister of Corrections, Judith Collins, to sort out her department without delay – setting leadership requirements and standards of professionalism and integrity that will rid us forever of uneasy feelings of anachronistic incompetence, even corruption.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I see Collins is calling Barry Matthews in “for a chat” next week. I suspect that Matthews has run out of Get Out of Jail Free cards, if you’ll pardon the penal pun
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
In the Family Court false allegations are taken as gospel and police smash the respondent client who is always a father.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I have no great faith in the Corrections Department under their present leadership and a deal of faith the Judith Collins will do her level best to sort out the mess but in this particular instance my gut reaction is that the department did the right thing by acting on the advice they had received … where it all went wrong is that somehow it was leaked to the media before the allegation had been checked out. Just who did the ‘leaking’ because that is the issue and if it was someone in Corrections looking to gain some brownie points to counter the quite justifiable bad press they have had of late then head(s) should roll.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Brad Shipton is deserving of as much contempt as we can summons, however there are some amongst us who will persecute him for the rest of his life. Whoever the “eyewitness” is that saw him having lunch with one of his fellow convicted rapists,needs to be subjected to some scrutiny,and if guilty of fabricating the evidence, they need to be imprisoned.
“Corrections” The bloody word says it all. It is Prison, not an english literature class. It exists to punish miscreants and to protect society. Behaviour modification is an optional extra.
The MSM did what it does best. It raced off with a sensational headline which is designed to sell their product.Integrity, truth and honesty are all optional and only to be used as a last resort when all other ideas have failed.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
It would be a kind of poetic justice for a corrupt cop to be imprisoned based on false allegations.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
The Clark Regime crowd are still very much going on their witch hunts in Corrections then.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
After the lenghty Clark govt I am very uneasy about female ministers. That is compounded by the Greens females.
I think I have a case and shouldn’t be seen as simply female bashing.
It’s going to take me awhile to trust females in govt again.
This is definitely one area I can empathise with the Republican party for men and male parents.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
If they had moved that fast in Graham Burton’s case, Kark Kuchenbecker may well still be alive!
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I agree with Ross Miller here.
Vote:1) Corrections did not immediately lock up Shipton on the basis of an allegation. They investigated, and asked Shipton for his response first. This seems right and proper to me.
2) When Shipton produced evidence disproving the allegation the dept dropped the matter. Again, this seems right and proper to me.
3) The allegation arose from a case of mistaken identity. I have read/heard nothing to suggest this was not an innocent mistake. In fact, good on that person for reporting the apparent parole breach.
4) Parole is surely a privilege, not a right. The same burdon of proof as for the original conviction does not – and should not – apply. Parole should only be continued where it is absolutely clear that it is justified. If in doubt – no parole. Remember: people on parole are serving a prison sentence.
January 17th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
The accuser needed to prove the date of the photograph
I trust Shiptons lawyer proved his date.
Very dodgy but I have to go with the lawyer on this one.
But its interesting to follow till Mr Bain comes up again. Can anyone remember the retrial date.
Can’t wait for Karam to do his stuff. And that chapter will finally be closed forever. I’m sure Mr Bain has every confidence.
Vote:January 17th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I cant wait until Bain is tossed back in a cell where he belongs.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 12:07 am
They didn’t take it “as fact”. There was an allegation and it was investigated and proved wrong. No harm done to the saintly Mr Shipton.
it was proved false, he didn’t lose his parole and his lawyers and DPF have a fit.
the lawyers were just making money and DPF is just making mischief.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 7:43 am
An allegation was made. An investigation was conducted. Saint Shipton’s alibi held up. Job done.
The one big payout is that it gave the parole chain around The Saint’s greasy neck a nice sharp warning tug.
PS: D4J is right – in the Family Court even the most outrageous and baseless allegations are taken as instant prima facie evidence of guilt on the part of the accused.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 8:24 am
“in the Family Court even the most outrageous and baseless allegations are taken as instant prima facie evidence of guilt on the part of the accused.”
But how long is it gonna take before the word of the family court becomes meaningless?
Granted, the media doesn’t highlight their injustices, and many are going to suffer, but truth always comes out.
There will come a time when employers and such will simply overlook family court decisions as mitigating factors.
Esp when enough employers get stung by them.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 8:31 am
NeilM – I think the DPF (and the article) stated/implied that the investigation was conducted by Shipton and his lawyers. The complaint was that there was no police/corrections investigation.
That said, I’m far from convinced that had this been different (i.e. the allegation true) and corrections had waited for an investigation to be completed before instituting the recall, the howls of outrage might have been different. Why did they wait four days?! etc. etc.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 8:33 am
The Family court is a growth industry for feminazi lawyers, sinister and sick psychologists. The place is a cess pit of lies and false allegations. The police just love it, as they can destroy men without any evidence. No wonder male suicide rates are rising. That’s it thick keystone cops, keep smashing up the family. Bash dad if it makes you feel better coward.Doh, fatherlessness is a problem but who cares eh meat heads? You must please the feminist agenda!!
Vote:I don’t know how the filthy corrupt judges that work in the scumbag place sleep at night. I suppose the $250k pa salary helps top up the wine cellar. The scum made me sick!