STEPHEN LINNELL/NOEL ASHBY CASE An interesting case from Australia that could be of interest to the Kezarovski case in Macedonia. Stephen Linnell was a media advisor to Victoria State police. Convictions against Stephen Linnell for lying to Victorias OPI have been overturned LAUREN WILSON THE AUSTRALIAN, JUNE 16, 2010 2:09PM CONVICTIONS against former Victoria Police media boss Stephen Linnell for lying to the states police watchdog have been overturned. It took just two minutes today for County Court Judge Barbara Cotterell to set aside the orders of the Melbourne Magistrates Court from March last year and dismiss three perjury charges against Mr Linnell. Mr Linnell, the only scalp claimed by the Office of Police Integrity over leaks relating to a murder investigation, had also pleaded guilty to three counts of disclosing confidential information. The charges related to answers he gave during public hearings conducted by the OPI. He was sentenced last year to an eight-month jail term, wholly suspended for two years, and fined $5000. Mr Linnells appeal followed the collapse of similar charges against former police assistant commissioner Noel Ashby and former police union chief Paul Mullett. Mr Linnell refused to answer questions from the media as he left court today, but said later he was looking forward to moving on with his life. “Im obviously pleased with todays decision,” he said in a statement. “As you can imagine, it has been a difficult time for me. “Id like to take this opportunity to thank my family and friends for their ongoing support and I look forward to moving on with my life and career.” The police media boss was investigated as a part of Operation Diana, an OPI probe into an alleged high level chain of leaks that the police watchdog claimed had compromised a murder investigation, Operation Briars. Mr Linnell was alleged to have passed information from the covert operation to Mr Ashby. After public OPI hearings in 2007, charges were pressed against Mr Linnell, Mr Ashby and Mr Mullett. But the charges against Mr Mullett were dropped last year, and Mr Ashby was acquitted of perjury in the Victorian Supreme Court in February after a ruling that former Federal Court judge Murray Wilcox, who conducted the OPI hearings, had not been properly sworn and was therefore unable to administer legal oaths. Mr Linnell indicated in February that given that ruling, he would appeal his convictions in the County Court. The Australian reported last week that then deputy police commissioner Simon Overland had passed on information gained from Briars telephone intercepts to Mr Linnell to “kill” a gossip story that was to run on Melbourne radio. Mr Mullett said today he was pleased justice had been done and renewed calls for a judicial inquiry into the OPI and into “this whole sad, sorry saga”. “Once again I call on (Premier) John Brumby to establish an open, independent judicial inquiry into the OPI and senior polices abuse of processes and their positions,” he said. - See more at: theaustralian.au/news/convictions-against-stephen-linnell-for-lying-to-victorias-opi-have-been-quashed/story-e6frg6n6-1225880324217#sthash.wMPLN4nb.dpuf
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:36:03 +0000
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