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The Christchurch Civic
Creche Case |
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It is now over to the Solicitor
General to decide whether David Bain will get a retrial after the Privy
Council quashed his convictions for murdering his family. In a 46 page report, the five law
lords of the Privy Council found there was a substantial miscarriage of
justice at Bain's 1995 trial for the murders of his parents and three
siblings in 1994. Bain's lawyer Michael Reed QC will
be filing a bail application for his client as soon as possible. He says the
Privy Council decision is an embarrassment to New Zealand's court system and
is scathing of the initial police investigation. Police have started a thorough
read of the Council's decision . Detective Superintendent Malcom
Burgess says a retrial could prove difficult and police would have to sit
down and have a stock-take of where all the witnesses are at. Police are still examining the
decision at this stage and there is no time limit set down as yet for a
decision on a retrial. David Bain has consistently
maintained his innocence. He has served 12 years of a minimum 16 year
life sentence, but could now be out of prison as early as next week. Attorney General Michael Cullen is
saying little about the implications of the Privy Council's decision. He says the Crown Law Office will
carefully consider the judgement. Cullen says the decision is solely
for the Solicitor General to make and he will be making no further comment on
the matter. The Crown Law Office is refusing
to comment on the task that lies before it. |
