Commissioner of Police v Hill

No judgment structure available for this case.

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I N THE FEDERAL POLICE )

FPDT 2 o f 1996.

DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
v .

CONSTABLE PETER ROSS H I L L

TRIBUNAL : SPECIAL MAGISTRATE J.J.DAINER, AM, RFD,
MEMBER.
DATE :

1 5 t h JANUARY 1997
PLACE : CANBERRA, ACT.

FINDINGS.

1 . On Charge AFP:WEPH002, a l l e g i n g t h a t C o n s t a b l e

P e t e r Ross H i l l commi t t ed t h e o f f e n c e o f

d i s g r a c e f u l c o n d u c t , c o n t r a r y t o R e g u l a t i o n 18

( l ) ( d ) o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n F e d e r a l P o l i c e ( D i s c i p l i n e )

R e g u l a t i o n s , t h e T r i b u n a l f i n d s h im NOT GUILTY.

On Charge AFP:WEPH003, a l l e g i n g t h a t C o n s t a b l e

P e t e r Ross H i l l commi t ted t h e o f f e n c e o f k n o w i n g l y

mak ing f a l s e and m i s l e a d i n g s t a t e m e n t s , c o n t r a r y t o

R e g u l a t i o n 1 8 ( l ) ( a ) o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n F e d e r a l P o l i c e

( D i s c i p l i n e ) R e g u l a t i o n s , t h e T r i b u n a l f i n d s h im

NOT GU I LTY .

NOT GUILTY. MEMBER.

On Charge AFP:WEPH004, a l l e g i n g t h a t C o n s t a b l e

P e t e r Ross H i l l commi t ted t h e o f f e n c e o f k n o w i n g l y

making f a l s e and m i s l e a d i ng s t a t e m e n t s , c o n t r a r y t o

R e g u l a t i o n 1 8 ( 1 ) (d . ) o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n F e d e r a l F o l i c e

( D i s c i p l i n e ) R e g u l a t i o n s , t h e T r i b u n a l f i n d s h im

I N THE FEDERAL POLICE 1 FPDT 2 o f 1996
DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL )

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

v .

CONSTABLE PETER ROSS H I L L

TRIBUNAL :SPECIAL MAGISTRATE J.J .DAINER, AM,RFD,

MEMBER.

DATE : 1 5 t h JANUARY 1997.

PLACE :CANBERRA. A .C.T .
REASONS FOR DECISION

C o n s t a b l e P e t e r Ross H i l l ( t h e d e f e n d a n t ) was c h a r g e d w i t h

t h r e e o f f e n c e s . The f i r s t , o f d i s g r a c e f u l c o n d u c t , a l l e g e d

t h a t he i n s e r t e d a m e t a l b l a d e i n t o a c a n o f c a p s i c u m s p r a y

i n o r d e r t o f a b r i c a t e e v i d e n c e i n s u p p o r t o f a r e p o r t made

by h im r e g a r d i n g an i n c i d e n t i n v o l v i n g t h e can t h a t t h e c a n

was a c c i d e n t a l l y p u n c t u r e d ; i t f u r t h e r a l l e g e d t h a t he

a t t e m p t e d , by d o i n g so, t o d i s g u i s e t h e f a c t t h a t C o n s t a b l e

P . J . G r a c e had d i s c h a r g e d t h e c o n t e n t s o f t i l e c a n f t - o m a

v e h i c l e i n ~ v l i i c t i b o t h pe rsons were o c c u p a n t s t o w a r d s a

r e n t a l bus on Par ra rna t ta Road, n e a r Conco rd , on 2 4 t h

F e b r u a r y 1995.

The second cha rge a l l e g e d t h a t , on 2 0 t h A p r i l 1995, when h e

was b e i n g i n t e r v i eived by D e t e c t i v e S e r g e a n t Cottal l1 r e g a r d i n g

t h e i n c i d e n t on 2 4 t h Feb rua ry 1995, he made v a r i o u s f a l s e

and m i s l e a d i n g s t a t e m e n t s i n p r o v i d i ng an e x p l a n a t i o n i n

g e n e r a l t e r m s a b o u t t h e l e a k i n t h e can and t h e reason f o r

d i s c h a r g i n g i t s c o n t e n t s .

The t h i r d c h a r g e r e l a t e d t o a f u r t h e r i n t e r v i e w w i t h

D e t e c t i v e S e r g e a n t Cot tam on 1 2 t h Oc tobe r 1995 i n wh i ch he

a1 l e g e d l y made f a 1 se o r m i s l e a d i n g s ta temen ts r e g a r d i n g

t e s t s w h i c h he s a i d he c a r r i e d o u t i n o r d e r t o i d e n t i f y

w h i c h o f t h e i n s t r u m e n t s i n a weapons bag had caused t h e

p u n c t u r e i n t h e can .

The m a t t e r D i s c i p l i n a r y T r i b u n a l

came

on

f o r

h e a r i n g

b e f o r e

t h e

Fede ra l

P o l i c e

on 1 6 t h , 1 7 t h , 1 8 t h and 1 9 t h December

1996 . The Commiss ioner was r e p r e s e n t e d by M r P. H a s t i n g s

QC, and Mr I . Nash o f Counse l . The de fendan t was

r e p r e s e n t e d by Mr I. B r a d f i e l d , S o l i c i t o r .

Because most o f t h e w i t n e s s e s were members o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n

F e d e r a l P o l i c e s t a t i o n e d i n Sydney, t h e h e a r i n g was, by

a r r a n g e m e n t w i t h t h e p a r t i e s , h e l d i n t h a t C i t y .

To s i m p l i f y t e r m s used i n t hese Reasons f o r D e c i s i o n , t h e

c a s e p r e s e n t e d by M r H a s t i n g s w i l l be r e f e r r e d t o t h e " t h e

p r o s e c u t i o n c a s e " , and t h a t by M r B r a d f i e l d as " t h e d e f e n c e

c a s e " . As some o f t h e s ta temen ts made by members o f t h e

A u s t r a l i an F e d e r a l Pol i c e (AFP) rega l -d i ng t h e m a t t e r

d e s c r i b e d them as e i t h e r - Federa l Agents o r Cons tab les , I

w i l l u s e t h e t e r m employed by them i n t h e i r ev idence , o r i n

t h e s t a t e m e n t s t e n d e r e d as e x h i b i t s .

I s h o u l d b e f o r e t h e h e a r i n g .

add

t h a t

C o n s t a b l e

Grace

r e s i g n e d

f rom

t h e

AFP

He v < i l l be r e f e r r e d t o as M r . Grace .

The charges a rose o u t o f an i n c i d e n t f o l l o w i n g t h e

comple t ion o f a segment o f an I n v e s t i g a t o r s ' Course

i n v o l v i n g t r a i n i n g i n d e f e n s i v e s k i l l s . M r . Grace and t h e

defendant were s e n i o r i n s t r u c t o r s on t h e e x e r c i s e , which was

h e l d a t Defence Department premises a t S i l v e r w a t e r , i n

Sydney's west . The course members were t r a i n e d i n making

f o r c e d e n t r y t o p remises , use o f se l f - de fence methods,

problems l i k e l y t o be encountered e x e c u t i n g search wa r ran t s ,

and t h e l i ke.

The ev idence may be c o n v e n i e n t l y examined under t h r e e

headings :

l. The i n c i d e n t on Par ramat ta Road, near Concord, when

a c a r d r i v e n by t h e defendant and a bus c o n t a i n i n g t h e

t r a i n e e s f rom t h e course came a l o n g s i d e , and t h e can

was d ischarged , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e immediate a f t e r m a t h

a t Eas te rn Region Headquar ters , Sydney, on 24 th Febru-

a r y 1995.

2 . The even ts which occu r red when t h e defendant r e t u r n e d

t o Canberra.

3 . The e x p e r t f o r e n s i c ev idence adduced c o v e r i n g i nves -

t i g a t i o n s i n t o how t h e can may have been d ischarged ,

i . e . , was i t l i k e l y t o have been done d e l i b e r a t e l y , o r

f o l l o w i ng an acc i d e n t a i p u n c t u r i n g .

THE INCIDENT ON PARRAMATTA ROAD.

A f t e r t h e e x e r c i s e conc luded, t h e i n s t r u c t o r s were r e t u r n i n g

t o Eastern Region Headquar ters i n Sydney i n a Conimodore

sedan, and t h e e i g h t e e n s tuden ts were i n a r e n t a l bus be ing

d r i v e n by an a d d i t i o n a l i n s t r u c t o r , Constab le D . Hodder.

A t a b o u t 3 . 5 0 p .m . , when b o t h v e h i c l e s were t r a v e l l i n g s i d e

by s i d e i n P a r r a m a t t a Road, nea r Concord, t h e y were n o t i c e d

b y Mrs J .M .Dye r , who was t r a v e l l i n g i n t h e l a n e c l o s e s t t o

t h e median s t r i p abou t a c a r ' s l e n g t h b e h i n d t h e Commodore,

w h i c h was i n t h e same l a n e . Mrs Dyer was d r i v i n g a Ta rago

wagon, i n w h i c h h e r t h r e e c h i l d r e n , t h e n aged 13, 11 and 9 ,

were passenge rs . I t was a h o t day , and t h e a i r v e n t s o f t h e

Tarago were d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s t h e o c c u p a n t s ' f a c e s .

Mrs Dyer n o t i c e d t h a t t h e bus c o n t a i n i n g t h e s t u d e n t s was i n

t h e c e n t r e l a n e , and a l o n g s i d e t h e sedan. She d i d n o t know

t h a t t h e r e was any c o n n e c t i o n between t h e

o c c u p a n t s o f t h e two v e h i c l e s . She n o t e d t h a t t h e

passenge rs i n t h e bus appeared t o be young, " l a t e t e e n s o r

e a r l y t w e n t i e s " . She s a i d a l l t h e bus windows were open,

and t h e passenge rs seemed t o be mov ing a round t h e bus . She

d e s c r i b e d them as " l i v e l y " . There seemed t o b e some s o r t o f

i n t e r p l a y g o i n g on between t h e two v e h i c l e s , d u r i n g w h i c h

Mrs Dyer s a i d she saw someone i n t h e bus make a " r u d e f i n g e r

g e s t u r e " a t t h e occupan ts o f t h e c a r . She had t h e

i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e bus passengers were "annoy ing " them.

She t h o u g h t i t was t h e " s o r t o f n u i s a n c e you have i n t r a f f i c

somet imes t h a t you j u s t have t o l i v e w i t h " .

F o l l o w i n g t h i s , Mrs Dyer s a i d she saw t h e passenger i n t h e

sedan s u d d e n l y t u r n a r o u c d and rummage i n t h e back s e a t , t h e n

he " t h r e ~ " ~ h i m s e l f back a round a g a i n and he p u t h i m s e l f

o u t s i d e t h e c a r o r l e a n t f r i g h t o u t t h e windoiv, and he had

someth ing i t ? h i s hand" . i ie t h e n reached o u t t o w a r d s t h e

bus and s t a r t e d s p r a y i n g a t i t w i t h whatever he had i n h i s

hand, which had come up l e v e l w i t h t h e bus d r i v e r ' s window,

which shu t as t h i s occu r red . Then t h e sedan slowed down,

moved t o t h e l e f t so t h a t t h e passenge r ' s hand was about a

f o o t f rom t h e bus, and he sprayed a long t h e o t h e r windows,

as i f he kep t h i s f i n g e r on t h e s p r a y . She was no t sure i f

t h e spray came o u t e i t h e r i n b u r s t s o r c o n t i n u o u s l y . The

o t h e r windows saw m i s t coming o u t o f whatever was

were

t hen

shu t

s u c c e s s i v e l y .

Mrs

Dyer

s a i d she

b e i n g sprayed, and then

she f e l t he r eyes b u r n i n g . She c o u l d n o t b rea the , and her

t h r o a t was b u r n i n g . She was t r y i n g t o keep her eyes open

because o f t h e t r a f f i c , wh ich was heavy. Her c h i l d r e n

s t a r t e d c r y i n g . Because t h e f a n i n t h e v e n t s was ope ra t i ng ,

t h e m i s t was sucked s t r a i g h t back a t t h e v a n ' s occupants.

She was p a r t i c u l a r l y concerned about her then 9 year o l d

daughter , who had c y s t i c f i b r o s i s and was on med ica t ion

because o f b r e a t h i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s . She s a i d she was

ex t reme ly angry about what had happened, and when t h e

t r a f f i c s topped s h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s , she s t a r t e d t o ge t ou t

o f he r v e h i c l e t o r emons t ra te w i t h t hose i n f r o n t , bu t t h e

t r a f f i c s t a r t e d up aga in . Mrs Dyer s a i d t h a t , a f t e r t h e

sp ray ing i n c i d e n t , t h e sedan " c u t s t r a i g h t across a l l t h e

l anes . . . . . . . and d i sappeared". The bus c o n t i nued on. Mrs

Dyer no ted t h e number o f t h e sedan, a b l u e Commodore, as

Z Z B 9 9 2 , and her son wro te i t down.

On t h e f o l l o w i n g Monday, t h r e e day l a t e r , she te lephoned t h e

Department o f Adnii n i s t r a t i ve Se rv i ces t o cornplai n about

t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e occupan ts o f t h e Commodore. She spoke

t o M r G . Mounsey, an o f f i c e r o f t h a t D e p a r t m e n t . She

den ied , i n c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n , t h a t she had t o l d Mr Mounsey

t h a t t h e Commodore was b e i n g d r i v e n d a n g e r o u s l y , b u t a g r e e d

t h a t she s a i d t h a t what had o c c u r r e d had " n e a r l y k i l l e d u s " .

She agreed t h a t she was d i s t r e s s e d and a n g r y a t t h e t i m e o f

t h a t c o n v e r s a t i o n .
Mrs

Dyer agreed w i t h M r B r a d f i e l d t h a t h e r e v i d e n c e

r e g a r d i n g t h e peop le i n t h e bus " a n n o y i n g "

t h e p e o p l e i n t h e c a r was an assumpt ion , based o n what she

p e r c e i v e d t o be i n t e r p l a y between t h e t w o v e h i c l e s , t o g e t h e r

w i t h what she d e s c r i b e d as a r u d e f i n g e r g e s t u r e f r o m t h e

bus d i r e c t e d towards t h e sedan. It i S o b v i o u s f r o m Mrs

D y e r ' s e v i d e n c e t h a t she f i r m l y be1 i e v e d t h a t t h e s p r a y i n g

o f t h e can a t t h e bus was d e l i b e r a t e .

The f i r s t t a s k o f t h e T r i b u n a l t h e n i s t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r

t h e ev idence s u p p o r t s t h a t b e l i e f .

The d e f e n d a n t , M r Grace, and C o n s t a b l e Hodder , made i t

c l ea r i n t h e i r s ta temen ts t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s o f Mrs

D y e r ' s c o m p l a i n t , and i n t h e i r e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e

T r i b u n a l , t h a t , w h i l e t h e y agreed t h a t a c a n o f c a p s i c u m

gas had been d i scha rged by Grace, t h e y r e j e c t e d t h e

s u g g e s t i o n t h a t i'liat had o c c u r r e d 'was d e l i b e r a t e , o r t h a t

t h e can had been sprayed towards t h e b u s .

fir Grace s a i d t h e r e had been no a n n o y i n g i n t e r p l a y be tween

t h e p e o p l e on t h e bus and t h o s e i n t h e c a r . He s a i d t h a t ,

w h i l e t h e two v e h i c l e s were a l o n g s i d e each o t h e r , t r a v e l l i n g

a t about 60 kph, b o t h he and t h e d e f e n d a n t d e t e c t e d a s m e l l

o f c a p s i c u m gas , w i t h w h i c h t h e y were b o t h f a m i l i a r . He

s a i d h e q u i c k l y g o t o u t o f h i s s e a t and t u r n e d a round

t o w a r d s t h e b a c k compar tment o f t h e c a r , as he knew t h e r e

was a c a n o f cap i scum s p r a y i n t h e weapons bag i n t h e back .

He f i r s t had t o move a number o f b a l l i s t i c v e s t s w h i c h were

on t o p o f t h e bag , and t h e n weapons and o t h e r i t e m s i n t h e

b a g , t r y i n g t o f i n d t h e c a n . When he saw i t "down t o w a r d s

t h e b o t t o m o f t h e bag" , i t seemed t o h im t h a t a s h i v , o r

h a l f - s c i s s o r s b l a d e , was s t u c k i n t h e s i d e o f t h e can . The

s h i v was one o f many s h a r p o b j e c t s k e p t i n t h e bag f o r

d e m o n s t r a t i o n p u r p o s e s . He assumed t h a t t h i s o b j e c t had

p u n c t u r e d t h e c a n . He removed b o t h o b j e c t s f r o m t h e bag,

s e p a r a t i n g t h e s h i v f r o m t h e c a n as he d i d so . He s a i d he

c o u l d n o t see c l e a r l y d u r i n g t h i s t ime ; h i s eyes were

b e g i n n i n g t o w a t e r and s t a r t i n g t o b u r n , and he had a s l i g h t
cough and wheeze.

M r Grace s a i d h i s o n l y p u r p o s e was t o g e t t h e can o u t o f t h e

c a r , as h e knew t h e d e b i l i t a t i n g e f f e c t i t c o u l d have,

p a r t i c u l a r l y on t h e d r i v e r , t h e d e f e n d a n t , who was known t o

be e x t r e m e l y s u s c e p t i b l e t o caps icum s p r a y . He s a i d he

l e a n e d " o u t s t r e t c h e d c o m p l e t e l y o u t o f t h e window" o f t h e

c a r and d i s c h a r g e d t h e can between t h e c a r and t h e bus . He

d i d n o t d i r e c t t h e s p r a y a t t h e bus . He s a i d t ! ie s p r a y

d i s s i p a t e d t o t h e r e a r , and downwards, between t h e two

v e h i c l e s . The who le p r o c e s s t o o k o n l y a few secoqds .

M r Grace d e n i e d t h a t t h e s p r a y f r o m t h e can was d i r e c t e d

t o w a r d s t h e b u s . He t h o u g h t t h e windows o f t h e bus were

a b o u t a f o o t above h i s head when t h e s p r a y i n g o c c u r r e d .

M r Grace conceded t h a t , when s u b s e q u e n t l y i n t e r v i e w e d , he

s a i d he b e l i e v e d t h e s h i v had been l o d g e d i n t h e c a n when h e

f o u n d i t i n t h e bag . However, he c o u l d n o t t h e n see

c l e a r l y ; h i s eyes were s t a r t i n g t o b u r n and b e g i n n i n g t o

w a t e r . H i s s o l e conce rn was t o g e t t h e c a n o u t o f t h e c a r

as q u i c k l y as p o s s i b l e . He e x p l a i n e d t h i s t o t h e

i n v e s t i g a t o r s .

When b r i n g i n g t h e can back i n t o t h e c a r , he n o t i c e d a " p i n

p r i c k " s i z e h o l e t owards t h e b o t t o m o f t h e c a n . He d i d n o t

l a t e r c o n d u c t any t e s t s on t h e can t o d e t e r m i n e what may

have p u n c t u r e d i t .

M r Grace d e n i e d , i n c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n , t h a t t h e r e had been

any " b a n t e r " exchanged between t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e b u s and

t h e c a r , o r t h a t he had d e l i b e r a t e l y d i r e c t e d t h e s p r a y a t

t h e bus "by way o f a p r a n k " . He a l s o d e n i e d t r y i n g t o

c o v e r up t h o s e a c t i o n s by t e l l i n g f a l s e h o o d s t o t h e

i n v e s t i g a t o r s o r t h e T r i b u n a l . He a g r e e d t h a t d e l i b e r a t e l y

s p r a y i n g caps icum gas i n t h e manner a l l e g e d b y Mrs Dye r

w o u l d b e i r r e s p o n s i b l e and dange rous , b u t i n s i s t e d i n h i s

e v i d e n c e t h a t t h a t d i d n o t o c c u r .

M r Grace s a i d t h a t a t t h e t i m e o f t h e i n c i d e n t , he was t h e

S e n i o r I n s t r u c t o r f o r S p e c i a l O p e r a t i o n s and f i rearrns

t r a i n i n g . He had been w i t h t h e t r a i n i n g u n i t f o r - a b o u t

t h r e e y e a r s . He had conduc ted o r undergone many c o u r s e s

i n t h e r e l e v a n t s k i l l s , i n v o l v i n g b o d i e s o ther - t h a n t h e AFF,

such as i n t e r s t a t e P o l i c e F o r c e s and C o r r e c t i v e S e r v i c e s . A

l i s t o f t h e c o u r s e s , and d e t a i 1s o f t v l r G r a c e ' s

q u a l i f i c a t i o n s was tende red as e x h i b i t 36 . A t t h e t i m e o f

t h e i n c i d e n t , h i s u n i t had been t r i a l l i n g caps icum gas f o r

t h e A F P . He was w e l l aware o f t h e adve rse e f f e c t s o f

c a p s i c u m gas o n p e o p l e .

The d e f e n d a n t ' s e v i d e n c e was t h a t , w h i l e d r i v i n g t h e c a r

w h i c h was t h e n a l o n g s i d e t h e bus , he d e t e c t e d an odour wh i ch

he r e c o g n i s e d as caps i cum s p r a y . He s a i d someth ing was

s a i d a b o u t t h e s m e l l , whereupon M r Grace t u r n e d and l eaned

o v e r i n t o t h e b a c k s e a t , rummaged among t h e gear i n t h e

b a c k , t h e n t u r n e d back and reached o u t o f t h e window. He

t h e n saw Mr Grace " d i s c h a r g i n g t h e c o n t e n t s o f OC s p r a y " .

He s a i d m i r r o r s and

h e

l o o k e d

i n t o

h i s

r e a r

v i s i o n

m i r r o r

and

s i d e

saw t h a t t h e r e was a " c l o u d o f o range m i s t wh ich

d r i f t e d b a c k b e h i n d my v e h i c l e and t h e n j u s t d i s p e r s e d i n t o

t h e a t m o s p h e r e " .
The

d e f e n d a n t s a i d M r Grace " reached o u t o f t h e window as

f a r as he c o u l d w i t h h i s l e f t arm" as he d i s c h a r g e d t h e can .

The gas t o o k a b o u t 5 seconds, "perhaps more" t o d i s c h a r g e .

The d e f e n d a n t s a i d he had n o t n o t i c e d any i n t e r p l a y between

t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e bus and M r Grace, n o r had tie been

i n v o l v e d i n such i n t e r p l a y . He s a i d i t was a r e g u l a r

o c c u r r e n c e f o r t h e i n s t r u c t o r s ' c a r and t h e t r a i n e e s ' bus t o

t r a v e l a l o n g s i d e each o t h e r d u r i n g t i l e t r i p s t o and f rom

S i l vercvater and H e a d q u a r t e r s i n Sydney. T h i s was p a r t l y

f o r s e c u r i t y r e a s o n s , as t h e r e was a q u a n t i t y o f weapons and

d e f e n s i v e g e a r c a r r i e d . I t was a l s o because t h e gear had

t o be l o a d e d and un loaded , and ass is tanc :e was needed, so

t h a t c o u r s e s w o u l d n o t be d e l a y e d .

Over t h e f i v e c o u r s e s he and Mr Grace had c o n d u c t e d d u r i n g

t h i s p e r i o d , t h e r e we re t w e n t y t r i p s u n d e r t a k e n , and t h e

v e h i c l e s were o f t e n i n c l o s e p r o x i m i t y w i t h each o t h e r . The

d e f e n d a n t s a i d t h a t , a f t e r t h e s p r a y i n g i n c i d e n t , he

a c c e l e r a t e d i n t o t h e l a n e i n w h i c h t h e b u s was t r a v e l l i n g ,

and t h e n i n t o t h e k e r b l a n e , t r y i n g t o f i n d somewhere t o

s t o p so t h a t t h e y c o u l d f i n d o u t what had happened. He was

u n a b l e t o d o so because o f t r a f f i c c o n g e s t i o n , and , as t h e

i n c i d e n t appea red t o b e r e s o l v e d , c o n t i n u e d on t o Sydney.

T h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e c a r ' s movements d i d n o t d i f f e r f r o m

Mrs D y e r ' s , who s a i d t h e c a r " c u t a c r o s s a l l t h e l a n e s " .

The d e f e n d a n t a g r e e d , i n c r o s s e x a m i n a t i o n , t h a t i t w o u l d be

a dangerous and i r r e s p o n s i b l e a c t d e l i b e r a t e 1 y t o s p r a y

caps icum gas i n t h e manner a l l e g e d by Mrs Dyer , b u t d e n i e d

t h a t t h i s had o c c u r r e d . He s a i d t h a t i t wou ld , i n any

e v e n t , be i m p o s s i b l e t o s p r a y one v e h i c l e f r o m a n o t h e r when

b o t h were t r a v e l l i n g a t u p t o 60 kph ; t h e s p r a y w o u l d

i m m e d i a t e l y d i s s i p a t e t o t h e r e a r , w h i c h i s what o c c u r r e d .

The d e f e n d a n t s a i d h e had w o r k e d w i t h d e f e n s i v e s p r a y s f o r

up t o 18 y e a r s , b o t h i n C o r r e c t i v e S e r v i c e s and i n t h e AFP.

He s a i d he had an " o v e r l y s e v e r e r e a c t i o n " t o caps i cum gas .

He was, a t t h e t i r r te o f t h e i n c i d e n t , S e n i o r D e f e n s i v e

T a c t i c s 1 n s t r . u c t o r f o r t h e AFF. He possessed a a i d e range

o f q u a l i f i c a t i o n s i n t h e f i e l d , and had e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e

i n c o n d u c t i n g c o u r s e s , b o t h i n t h e AFP and for- o t h e r

b o d i e s . A f o l d e r c o n t a i n i n g documents s e t t i n g o u t h i s

background i n t h e s e a r e a s was t e n d e r e d as e x h i b i t 3 4 .

None o f t h i s p a r t o f h i s e v i d e n c e was c h a l l e n g e d by t h e

p r o s e c u t i o n .

C o n s t a b l e Hodder, who had been an a d d i t i o n a l i n s t r u c t o r on

t h e c o u r s e , was d r i v i n g t h e bus . He s a i d t h e bus and t h e

sedan w i t h t h e i n s t r u c t o r s came a l o n g s i d e f r o m t i m e t o t i m e

d u r i n g t h i s t r i p , as t h e y had done on many o t h e r t r i p s .

T h i s was so because i t was necessa ry f o r them t o a r r i v e a t

t h e i r d e s t i n a t i o n s a t about t h e same t i m e , so t h a t equipment

c o u l d b e un loaded and e x e r c i s e s s t a r t e d w i t h o u t undue d e l a y .

On t h e r e l e v a n t o c c a s i o n , he n o t i c e d t h a t M r Grace appeared

t o b e " r e l a x e d , engaged i n c o n v e r s a t i o n and l a u g h i n g " . He

d i d n o t obse rve any g e s t u r e s d i r e c t e d towards t h e sedan f r o m

t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e bus . He s a i d t h a t he n o t e d t h a t M r

G r a c e ' s "mood seemed t o change. He spun around . . . . t u r n e d

t o h i s r i g h t , o v e r h i s r i g h t hand s h o u l d e r , and i n t o t h e

r e a r passenger compartment o f t h e v e h i c l e " . He s a i d t h e

movement was v e r y q u i c k . Cons tab le Hodder s a i d t h a t M r Grace

" t h e n spun around. H i s arm came o u t o f t h e window and

appea red t o be h o l d i n g a can" . T h i s o c c u r r e d w i t h i n

seconds . He s a i d M r G r a c e ' s arm was ex tended f u l l y o u t o f

h i s window. He had h i s hand wrapped around a c a n . The re

was a " m i s t , o rangy r e d , coming back froin t h e a r e a o f t h e

can and h i s f i n g e r s " . He s a i d t h e s p r a y , wh ich l a s t e d a few

seconds , moved towards t h e r e a r o f t h e c a r . The sedari t h e n

a c c e l e r a t e d i n t o t h e l a n e i n f r o n t o f t h e bus , and t h e n

moved a c r o s s i n t o t h e l e f t l a n e , where he l o s t s i g h t o f i t .

C o n s t a b l e Hodder s a i d t h a t i t was a p p a r e n t t h a t M r G r a c e ' s

s o l e i n t e n t i o n was t o g e t t h e sp ray can o u t o f h i s v e h i c l e .

He s a i d t h e r e was no d e l i b e r a t e a c t i o n t o s p r a y t h e bus . He

agreed w i t h M r H a s t i n g s t h a t , i f h e had p e r c e i v e d t h a t M r

Grace had d e l i b e r a t e l y s p r a y e d a t t h e b u s , h e ( C o n s t a b l e

Hodder) w o u l d have been " f a i r l y u p s e t " a b o u t i t , and wou ld

have r a i s e d h i s c o n c e r n s w i t h G r a c e . He w o u l d a l s o have

c o n s i d e r e d mak ing a c o m p l a i n t . He was aware , h e s a i d , o f t h e

a d v e r s e e f f e c t s o f caps i cum s p r a y .

B e f o r e t h e i n c i d e n t w i t h t h e c a n , C o n s t a b l e Hodder s a i d he

d i d n o t n o t i c e any i n t e r p l a y be tween t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e

bus and t h e sedan, o r see h i s p a s s e n g e r s m o v i n g a b o u t t h e

b u s . I n p a r t i c u l a r , h e d i d n o t see any g e s t u r e s made by h i s

passenge rs . He a g r e e d t h a t , a s a " p r e c a u t i o n a r y t h i n g " , he

had asked t h e p e o p l e a round h i m t o c l o s e t h e i r windows a t

t h e t i m e he o b s e r v e d t h e s p r a y i n g . He d i d n o t make a

g e n e r a l announcement t o t h e p a s s e n g e r s t o t h a t e f f e c t . He

s a i d he was n o t c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e s p r a y r e a c h i n g t h e bus ,

because t h a t c o u l d n o t , and d i d n o t , happen. He s a i d M r

G r a c e ' s arm w o u l d have been t h r e e t o f i v e f e e t away f rom t h e

bus a t t h e t i m e o f t h e s p r a y i n g . C o n s t a b l e Hodder s a i d t h a t

M r Grace moved t h e s p r a y c a n t o w a r d s t h e r e a r o f h i s

v e h i c l e . I n any e v e n t , he s a i d , w i t h b o t h v e h i c l e s

t r a v e l l i n g a t be tween 50 and 60 kph , t h e w i n d e f f e c t was

such t h a t t h e s p r a y w o u l d t r a v e l " i n a d i r e c t l i n e s t r a i g h t

t owards t h e rear- o f t h e v e h i c l e " , and t h a t i s what i t d i d .

When t h e t w o v e h i c l e s reached H e a d q u a r t e r s , C o n s t a b l e Hodder

s a i d he d i s c u s s e d t h e i n c i d e n t w i t h b o t h M r Grace and t h e

d e f e n d a n t . He s a i d t o t h e for-171er- "What happened on

P a r r a m a t t a Road? What happened w i t h t h e can?" Grace t o l d

h i m t h a t t h e can had p u n c t u r e d i n t h e c a r . The d e f e n d a n t

made a comment about t h e e f f e c t caps icum s p r a y h a d o n h i m .

N o t h i n g was s a i d about what p u n c t u r e d t h e can , a n d h e d i d

n o t p u r s u e t h e m a t t e r because he knew t h a t b o t h t h e o t h e r

C o n s t a b l e s were i n s t r u c t o r s and competent a t wha t t h e y d i d .

I n any e v e n t , he s a i d , i t was t h e end o f a l o n g t r a i n i n g

s e s s i o n : t h e r e were t h i n g s t o do, equipment t o b e p a c k e d and

unpacked. He was a n x i o u s t o r e t u r n home, and knew h e c o u l d

f o l l o w t h e m a t t e r up l a t e r i f he w i s h e d .

C o n s t a b l e Hodder s a i d he had n o t h e a r d o f a c a n p u n c t u r i n g

b e f o r e . He had hea rd o f one s u b s e q u e n t l y , i n a s a f e i n

Canbe r ra . I n answer t o M r H a s t i n g s , C o n s t a b l e Hodder s a i d he

had known t h e d e f e n d a n t f o r about 12 months, and M r G race

f o r abou t two y e a r s . He d e n i e d he wou ld l i e t o a s s i s t
them.

O f t h e s i x t e e n passengers s t i l l on t h e bus a t t h e t i m e o f

t h e i n c i d e n t ( t w o , Cons tab les M c Q u i l l a n and S m i t h , had

d e p a r t e d b e f o r e t h e n ) , o n l y f i v e were c a l l e d b y t h e

p r o s e c u t i o n t o g i v e ev idence . The r e m a i n d e r , who had been

i n t e r v i e w e d d u r i n g t h e subsequent i n v e s t i g a t i o n , we re n o t

c a l l e d . The r e c o r d s o f t h e r e l e v a n t i n t e r v i e w s were , by

c o n s e n t , t ende red as e x h i b i t s . The s t a t e m e n t s c o n t a i n e d

i n t h o s e I-ecords a c c o r d i n g l y s t a n d unc i ia l l enged . On1 y t w o

passengers saw any sp ray coming f rom t h e s e d a n . F e d e r a l

Agent McLean, who gave ev idence , s a i d t h a t , when t h e s e d a n ' s

f r o n t passenger door was about l e v e l w i t h t h e f r o n t o f t h e

bus , he saw t h e passenger "pu t h i s arm o u t o f t h e window and

s p r a y someth ing f r o m an a e r o s o l can" , and t h a t he was

" s p r a y i n g s o m e t h i n g back t o w a r d s t h e b u s " . T h i s o c c u r r e d

f o r two o r t h r e e seconds .

He a g r e e d t h a t he had s a i d , i n h i s r e c o r d o f c o n v e r s a t i o n

w i t h D e t e c t i v e Se rgean t Jones, t h a t t h e s p r a y i n g had been

"more i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o f o u t o f t h e window. I w o u l d n ' t

say i t was i n any p a r t i c u l a r d i r e c t i o n , t h e s p r a y i n g . He

was j u s t s p r a y i n g i t o u t t h e w indow" . He t o l d M r B r a d f i e l d ,

i n c r o s s exami n a t i o n , t h a t t h a t s t a t e m e n t was c o r r e c t .

F e d e r a l Agen t McLean s a i d t h a t he was s i t t i n g t w o s e a t s

b e h i n d t h e d r i v e r , a t t h e window. He h e a r d someone c a l l

o u t t o c l o s e t h e windows, so h e c l o s e d h i s . He added " I

t h i n k i t was a l s o m e n t i o n e d t h a t t h e y were s p r a y i n g

someth ing . So I knew i t had t o do w i t h t h e i n s t r u c t o r s i n

t h e Commodore". When asked how f a r t h e p a s s e n g e r ' s hand

h o l d i n g t h e can was f r o m t h e bus , he s a i d t h e c a r was

" . . . m o s t l y i n f r o n t o f t h e b u s . . . s o I wou ld say maybe

anywhere f r o m 5 t o 10 m e t r e s a p p r o x i m a t e l y " .

C o n s t a b l e C l u c a s , who was s i t t i n g on t h e 3 r d s e a t b e h i n d t h e

d r i v e r a t t h e window, s a i d i n h i s r e c o r d o f i n t e r v i e w t h a t

he saw t h e i n s t r u c t o r s ' c a r p a s s t h e bus , and t h e r e was some

w a v i n g , " j u s t f r i e n d l y waves" between t h e v e h i c l e s . Then

l ie saw t h e passenge r i n t h e c a r , who had been wav ing a t

them, r e a c h a r o u n d i n t o t h e back o f t h e c a r , arid t h e n he

remembered " s e e i n g gas coming o u t o f t h e d r i v e r ' s s i d e

window o f t h e cat - " . He s a i d t h a t , a t t h a t s t a g e , t h e c a r

was a b o u t a c a r ' s l e n g t h i n f r o n t o f t h e b u s . He d i d n o t

see anyone h o l d i n g a c a n . A l l h e saw was a " c l o u d o f s p r a y " ,

w h i c h came b a c k p a s t t h e c a r and t h e bus and seemed t o

d i s s i p a t e . He s a i d , l a t e r on i n t h e i n t e r v i e w , t h a t t h e

s p r a y came o u t o f t h e p a s s e n g e r ' s s i d e window o f t h e c a r .

He d i d n o t h e a r anyone c a l l o u t t o c l o s e t h e windows on t h e

bus , and he d i d n o t c l o s e h i s . As s t a t e d e a r l i e r , C o n s t a b l e

C l u c a s ' s t a t e m e n t s were n o t c h a l l e n g e d b y t h e p r o s e c u t i o n .

L e a v i n g a s i d e f o r a moment t h e e v i d e n c e o f M r Grace and t h e

d e f e n d a n t , i t i s c l e a r t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e o f C o n s t a b l e Hodder

and F e d e r a l Agent McLean, and t h e u n c h a l l e n g e d s t a t e m e n t o f

C o n s t a b l e C l u c a s i s i n c o n f l i c t w i t h t h e e v i d e n c e o f Mrs

Dyer as t o t h e manner i n wh i ch t h e s p r a y can was d i s c h a r g e d ,

p a r t i c u l a r l y as t o t h e i m p r e s s i o n she g a t h e r e d t h a t t h e

s p r a y i n g was d e l i b e r a t e .

I n h i s c l o s i n g submiss ions , t o w h i c h I w i l 1 r e f e r i n d e t a i l

l a t e r , M r H a s t i n g s s a i d t h e p r o o f o f t h e " p r i m a r y f a c t s "

a b o u t t h e manner o f t h e s p r a y i n g e s s e n t i a l l y came f r o m Mrs

D y e r ' s ev idence . Tha t i s so, as f a r as t h e p r o s e c u t i o n c a s e

i s conce rned .

I a c c e p t c h a l l e n g e d i n any

t h e

submiss ion s i g n i f i c a n t

t h a t

Mrs

D y e r ' s

c r e d i t

was

n o t

way. She gave h e r e v i d e n c e i n

a ca lm , c r e d i b l e , and d i s p a s s i o n a t e manner . I n my v i e w , she

was a t r u t h f u l w i t n e s s . I w i l l r e t u r n t o an e v a l u a t i o n o f

t h e w e i g h t t o be g i v e n t o Mrs D y e r ' s e v i d e n c e l a t e r .

The re were a number o f m a t t e r s wh i ch she s a i d she o b s e r v e d

w h i c h l e a d h e r t o b e l i e v e , i n M r H a s t i n g s ' s u b m i s s i o n , t h a t

t h e r e was some form o f h o s t i l i t y between t h e o c c u p a n t s o f

t h e bus and t h o s e i n t h e c a r . T h i s had appea red t o

a g g r a v a t e M r Grace, who had r e t a l i a t e d by d e l i b e r a t e 1 y

s p r a y i n g t h e gas a t t h e bus .

One m a t t e r was t h e g e n e r a l i m p r e s s i o n o f a c t i v i t y w i t h i n t h e

bus , w i t h p e o p l e mov ing a round and g e s t u r i n g towards t h e

c a r , i n c l u d i n g a " r u d e g e s t u r e " . Another was h e r o b s e r v a t i o n

t h a t t h e c a r moved c l o s e r t o t h e bus j u s t b e f o r e t h e

s p r a y i n g commenced.

T h e r e i s some s u p p o r t f o r Mrs D y e r ' s ev idence r e g a r d i n g

movement w i t h i n t h e bus , and t o g e n e r a l i n t e r p l a y between

t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e two v e h i c l e s , i n c l u d i n g a " r u d e

g e s t u r e " b e i n g o b s e r v e d by Fede ra l Agent Rahdon a t some

s t a g e . However, t h e d i s t a n c e between t h e v e h i c l e s a t t h e

t i m e o f be tween f i v e t o seven f e e t

t h e

s p r a y i n g ,

as

e s t i m a t e d

b y

o t h e r s ,

v a r i e d

f r o m

(Hodder ) , t o between f i v e and t e n

m e t r e s (McLean) . I n a d d i t i o n , b o t h t h e de fendan t and M r

Grace d e n i e d i n t h e i r e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e c a r had moved c l o s e r

t o t h e b u s b e f o r e t h e s p r a y i n g . The re was no o t h e r

e v i d e n c e , a p a r t f r o m Mrs D y e r ' s , t o s u p p o r t t h a t a s s e r t i o n .

The e v i d e n c e o f F e d e r a l Agents C r o s s l i n g and Rahdon, f o r

example , was t h a t t h e r e was a l e v e l o f "commotion" w i t h i n

t h e b u s , w i t h passenge rs moving about f r o m one s i d e t o t h e

o t h e r . F e d e r a l Agent C o l l i n g w o o d d e s c r i b e d t h e mood o f t h e

p a s s e n g e r s as l i k e b e i n g on a " p a r t y b u s " . C o n s t a b l e Deacon,

i n h i s r e c o r d o f i n t e r v i e w , s a i d i t was l i k e a " f o o t b a l l

team g o i n g liorne a f t e r a game".

S i g n i f i c a n t 1 y , none o f t h e w i t n e s s e s who gave ev idence , and

none o f t h o s e whose r e c o r d s o f i n t e r v i e w were tende red , s a i d

t h a t t h e a tmosphere on b o a r d t h e bus was a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n

j o v i a l , o r t h a t t h e wav ing and g e s t u r i n g between t h e two

v e h i c l e s , was a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n f r i e n d l y and c o r d i a l . Fo r

example, i t was n o t s u g g e s t e d b y F e d e r a l Agent Rahdon, t h e

o n l y passenger t o d e s c r i b e any o f t h e g e s t u r e s b y an

u n i d e n t i f i e d p a s s e n g e r a s " r u d e " , t h a t t h e r e was any

a n i m o s i t y o r b a d f e e l i n g be tween t h e o c c u p a n t s o f t h e b u s

and t h e i n s t r u c t o r s i n t h e c a r . On t h e c o n t r a r y , h e r

i m p r e s s i o n was t h a t t h e t e n o r o f t h e exchanges was

" f r i e n d l y and p l a y " .

M r H a s t i n g s s u b m i t t e d t h a t Mr Grace had been a g g r a v a t e d b y

what was e m a n a t i n g f r o m t h e b u s and had "as a f o r m o f

r e t a l i a t i o n , a l t h o u g h i n j e s t and as p a r t o f t h e g e n e r a l

c o n v i v i a1 a tmosphe re , ( e n d e a v o u r e d ) t o f r i g h t e n them o r

t e a s e them o r annoy them o r i n some (way) r e l a t i a t e b y

s p r a y i n g t h e gas i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e b u s " .

As t o whe the r r e l a t i o n s be tween t h e i n s t r u c t o r s and s t u d e n t s

d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e , and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , d u r i n g t h e i r r e t u r n

t o H e a d q u a r t e r s , had descended t o a l e v e l w h i c h w o u l d

p r o v o k e such a r e s p o n s e does n o t seem t o b e s u p p o r t e d on t h e

e v i d e n c e . A p a r t f r o m t h e r e b e i n g n o e v i d e n c e o f i l l - f e e l i n g

between t h e t w o g r o u p s d u r i n g t h e t r i p , none o f t h e s t u d e n t s

i n v o l v e d i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n had any c r i t i c i s m o f M r Grace

o r t h e d e f e n d a n t as t o t h e i r p e r s o r i a l o r p r o f e s s i o n a l

r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h them d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e . F o r example,

F e d e r a l Agent McLean s a i d i n h i s e v i d e n c e t h a t he had t h e

u tmos t r e s p e c t f o r t h e i n s t r u c t o r s , whom he r e g a r d e d as

" h i g h l y t r a i n e d s p e c i a l i s t s " . He f e l t t h a t w h i l e t h e y were

n o t " t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l " .

b e s t

o f

mates"

on

a

p e r s o n a l

l e v e l ,

t h e y

g o t

a l o n g

w e l l w i t h t h e c o u r s e members, and were " h i g h l y

F e d e r a l Agent Rahdon d e s c r i b e d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e

i n s t r u c t o r s and c o u r s e members as " v e r y c o r d i a l . . . an

a tmosphe re o f f r i e n d l i n e s s and i n t e r e s t . . i t was n o t an a l o o f
r e 1 a t i o n s h i p " .

F e d e r a l Agent C r o s s l i n g s a i d r e l a t i o n s between t h e

i n s t r u c t o r s and t h e c o u r s e members had been " r e l a x e d and

f r i e n d 1 y " d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e .

M r Grace and t h e de fendan t ag reed t h a t r e l a t i o n s between

them and t h e c o u r s e members had been good. M r Grace d e n i e d

t h a t what had o c c u r r e d w i t h t h e s p r a y can had been t h e

r e s u l t o f , o r r e a c t i o n t o , a c t i o n s o r words by anyone one on

t h e b u s . What had o c c u r r e d w i t h t h e s p r a y can was t h e

r e s u l t o f i t s b e i n g p u n c t u r e d i n t h e weapons bag.

B o t h M r Grace and t h e d e f e n d a n t agreed w i t h C o n s t a b l e

H o d d e r ' s e v i d e n c e as t o what had o c c u r r e d on t h e i r r e t u r n t o

Sydney H e a d q u a r t e r s . They s a i d t h e m a t t e r had been

d i s c u s s e d b r i e f l y w i t h h i m . He d i d n o t ask t o see t h e can
o r t o l o o k a t M r G r a c e ' s hands.

B e f o r e moving t o t h e e v i d e n c e r e g a r d i n g e v e n t s i n Canber ra ,

I s h o u l d m e n t i o n t h a t most o f t h e passengers on t h e bus s a i d

t h e y saw s u r p r i s i n g l y l i t t l e o f what o c c u r r e d a t t h e

r e l e v a n t t i m e . Some s a i d t h e y saw n o t h i n g . E x p r e s s i o n s

such as " h a l f a s l e e p " , " p r e t t y f a t i g u e d " , and "eve ryone was

t i r e d " were used t o d e s c r i b e t h e i r s t a t e o f awareness.

O n l y F e d e r a l Agents C r o s s l i n g , McLean and C o l l i n g w o o d h e a r d

F e d e r a l Agent A l s t o n c a l l o u t t o c l o s e t h e windows. A l s t o n

was n o t a b l e t o e x p l a i n i n h i s e v i d e n c e why he made such a

c a l l ; i n any e v e n t , t h e r e seems t o have been l i t t l e

r e a c t i o n t o i t . Only Federa l Agents C r o s s l i n g and Rahdon,

and Constab le V i n t n e r saw M r Grace e i t h e r w i t h h i s arm o r

w i t h t h e upper p a r t o f h i s body o u t o f h i s window.

As t o t h e genera l l e v e l o f i n t e r e s t i n , and o b s e r v a t i o n s o f ,

t h e i n s t r u c t o r s ' sedan by most o f t h e occupants o f t h e bus,

t h e v e h i c l e was d e s c r i b e d v a r i o u s l y , i n a d d i t i o n t o i t s

c o r r e c t c o l o u r o f b l u e , as red , s i l v e r , g rey , w h i t e , and

l i g h t - c o l o u r e d .

M r H a s t i n g s ' suggested e x p l a n a t i o n . f o r t h e f a i l u r e on t h e

p a r t o f most o f t h e bus passengers t o p r o f e s s any r e a l

knowledge o f t h e even ts which o c c u r r e d was t h a t t h e r e had

been a " c l o s i n g o f t h e ranks " . I n h i s submiss ion, those who

c la imed n o t t o have observed t h e even ts as d e s c r i b e d by Mrs

Dyer were "endeavour ing t o make t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o

d i s g u i s i n g t h e f a c t s t han g e n u i n e l y g i v i n g t h e i r account o f

what happened o r d i d n o t happen." However, t h e r e was no

a l l e g a t i o n p u t t o t h e e leven passengers whose records o f

i n t e r v i e w were tendered , by consen t , t h a t t hey had, as

e u p h e m i s t i c a l l y suggested, 1 i e d t o o r m i s l e d t h e

i n v e s t i g a t o r s . They were t h e r e f o r e den ied t h e o p p o r t u n i t y

o f responding t o what amounts t o one o f t h e most se r i ous

a l l e g a t i o n s wliictr can be l e v e l l e d a g a i n s t a P o l i c e o f f i c e r ,

i . e . , t h a t he o r she i s a l i a r . The f o r c e o f t h e a l l e g a t i o n

i s t h e r e f o r e demonstrably weakened.

EVENTS OCCURRING AT CANBERRA.

I t u r n now t o t h e even ts which a l l e g e d l y occu r red a f t e r t h e

defendant and M r Grace r e t u r n e d t o Canberra.

F e d e r a l Agent F i t l e r gave e v i d e n c e t h a t h e was, a t t h e

r e l e v a n t t i m e , an i n s t r u c t o r i n t h e D e f e n s i v e S k i l l s ,

E d u c a t i o n and T r a i n i n g U n i t i n Canbe r ra .

About a f o r t n i g h t a f t e r t h e d e f e n d a n t r e t u r n e d t o t h e U n i t ,

an i n c i d e n t o c c u r r e d t h e r e i n v o l v i n g a l a r g e c a n o f c a p s i c u m

s p r a y , wh i ch was s t o r e d i n a s a f e i n t h e o f f i c e o f t h e

U n i t ' S Supe rv i s o r , Federa l Agent McDevi t t ( t h e n a D e t e c t i v e

S e r g e a n t ) . F i t l e r hea rd a "popp ing , and t h e n a h i s s i n g

n o i s e " coming f r o m t h e s a f e . The s m e l l o f c a p s i c u m gas was

n o t e d . C o n s t a b l e P e n n e l l p u t a gas mask on and r e t r i e v e d

t h e can f r o m t h e s a f e . F i t l e r and C o n s t a b l e F o r b e s , who

was a l s o p r e s e n t , knew t h a t t h e gas mask l a c k e d f i l t e r s , b u t

d i d n o t t e l l P e n n e l l . They t h o u g h t he w o u l d " g e t a good

dose o f t h e gas when he r a n i n t h e r e " , and when h e l a t e r

s a i d t h a t t h e gas mask r e a l l y d i d n o t wo rk , t h e y t o l d h i m

about t h e f i l t e r s , t r e a t i n g t h e i n c i d e n t as a " b i t o f a

j o k e " . As t o t h e can , F i t l e r s a i d t h a t t h e r e was a s t r e a m o f

vapour coming f r o m i t . He d i d n o t want t o g e t n e a r i t , and

s t a y e d f o u r o r f i v e met res away. T h e d e f e n d a n t l a t e r s a i d

he was a l s o p r e s e n t .

What o c c u r r e d because o f a submiss ion

r e g a r d i n g

t h e

gas

mask

i s

r e l a t e d

h e r e ,

made by M r H a s t i n g s i n h i s c l o s i n g

a d d r e s s .

F i t l e r s a i d he d i s c u s s e d t h e i n c i d e n t r e g a r d i n g t h i s l e a k i n g

c a n i s t e r w i t h t h e defendant . He s a i d t h e d e f e n d a n t

i n fo rmed hint about " t h e one i n Sydney t h a t h a d gone o f f " ,

and showed h im a capsicum s p r a y can ( w h i c h l a t e r became

e x h i b i t 4 ) . F i t l e r s a i d he n o t e d t h a t t h e r e was a p u n c t u r e

mark i n t h e can, about a m i l l i m e t r e square. He b e l i e v e d t h e

can had been c a r r i e d i n t h e weapons bag, i n which a number

o f sharp o b j e c t s were n o r m a l l y s t o r e d . He s a i d he and t h e

defendant were concerned about t h e c a r r i a g e o f capsicum

spray cans i n t h e bag, because o f what had occur red i n Sydney. They dec ided t o t r y and f i n d ou t how v u l n e r a b l e t h e

cans were t o p u n c t u r i n g , and t o i n v e s t i g a t e what o b j e c t o r

o b j e c t s may have punc tu red t h e can. They s a t down "over a

coup le o f cups o f c o f f e e " t o t e s t t h e o b j e c t s aga ins t t h e

can. He s a i d they would " r a t th rough t h e bag, p u l l o u t

something and have a poke and then t h e next person would p u l l something o u t and f i n d something and have a poke w i t h

i t " . He s a i d "We were p rodd ing away and seeing what c o u l d

have punc tu red t h e c y l i n d e r and see ing how t h i c k i t was".

When shown F i t l e r s a i d i t was

a s h i v by M r Has t i ngs (which became

e x h i b i t 5 ) ,

one which had been i n t h e weapons bag.

He s a i d t h e s h i v was among t h e sharp o b j e c t s , such as s t a r

k n i v e s , which t hey used t o t e s t t h e h o l e i n t h e can. He

s a i d t h e p o i n t o f t h e s h i v f i t t e d i n t o t h e ho le b u t "no more

t h a n a coup le o f m i l , i f t h a t , o f t h e b lade" . He added

t h a t t h e w a l l s o f t h e can were "even t h i n n e r t h a t a s o f t
d r i n k can" .

They were t r y i n g t o "work o u t i f l i k e t h e s t u f f i n the bag

was j u s t by mere compression aga ins t i t , o r fro111 a j o l t l i k e

b e i n g dropped i n t h e v e h i c l e and son~eth ing h i t t i n g i t . So

sometimes we 'd s t i c k t h e s t u f f i n l i k e g e n t l y and o the r

t i m e s we would g i v e i t a l i t t l e b i t more o f a push and l i k e ,

go f o r l i k e t h e rough v e r s i o n and l i k e t h e compressed, s o f t

v e r s i o n " . F i t l e r s a i d t h e h o l e became l a r g e r as t h e y "mucked

a r o u n d w i t h i t " . He agreed w i t h Mr H a s t i n g s t h a t t h e h o l e

a p p e a r i n g i n e x h i b i t 4 was much l a r g e r t h a n i t had i n i t i a l l y

appea red , " a b o u t 5 -6 m i 1 s l o n g and 1 m i l w i d e " . He s a i d

t h i s was t h e r e s u l t o f p u t t i n g o b j e c t s i n i t w i t h a " b i t o f

a w i g g l e c a r r y i n g

a round" ,

and

t h a t

b o t h

he

and

t h e

d e f e n d a n t

we re

o u t t h e s e t e s t s . He s a i d somet imes t h e y w o u l d

push an o b j e c t i n as f a r i t w o u l d go . On one o c c a s i o n he

saw t h e d e f e n d a n t push t h e s h i v " r i g h t t h r o u g h t o t h e o t h e r

s i d e " o f t h e can , a d d i n g t h a t i t d i d n o t " r e q u i r e much

f o r c e , because, as I s a i d , t h e a c t u a l t i n i s n o t t h a t h a r d .

I t ' s n o t a s t r o n g m e t a l " . F i t l e r s a i d t h a t , a t t h e t i m e o f

t h e t e s t s , he was unaware o f any i n v e s t i g a t i o n b e i n g

commenced i n t o any i n c i d e n t i n v o l v i n g t h e s p r a y can , e x h i b i t

4 . He s a i d t h a t , i n t h e norma l c o u r s e , t h e c a n w o u l d have

been t h r o w n o u t . He d i d n o t have any c o n c e r n a b o u t damaging

t h e c a n because o f what he b e l i e v e d w o u l d happen t o i t

e v e n t u a l l y .

I n c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n ; F i t l e r s a i d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t had

t o l d h im t h a t i n t h e i n c i d e n t i n Sydney "one o f t h e

c y l i n d e r s had gone o f f i n t h e bag ~ v h i l e t h e y were d r i v i n g

down one o f t h e s t r e e t s i n Sydney and n e a r l y gassed h i m s e l f

and C o n s t a b l e Grace i n t h e c a r and t h e y had t o h o l d i t o u t

o f t h e c a r so t h e y d i d n ' t gas t h e m s e l v e s and have a p r a n g " .

I t was n o t a l l e g e d by t h e p r o s e c u t i o n t h a t F i t l e r was n o t

t e l l i n g t h e t r u t h as t o t h e e v e n t s he d e s c r i b e d .

The d e f e n d a n t was n o t asked any q u e s t i o n s i n t h e Record o f

I n t e r v i e w conduc ted on 2 0 t h A p r i l 1995 b y D e t e c t i v e S e r g e a n t

C o t t a m r e g a r d i n g t h e t e s t s c a r r i e d o u t on t h e can , b u t ,

d u r i n g t h e R e c o r d o f I n t e r v i e w o f 1 2 t h October 1995, t h e

m a t t e r was r a i s e d . He t h e n gave answers c o r r e s p o n d i n g i n

g e n e r a l t e r m s w i t h t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e t e s t s s a i d t o have

been c a r r i e d o u t i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h Fede ra l Agent F i t l e r ,

a g r e e i n g t h a t h e had i n s e r t e d t h e s h i v i n t h e h o l e ,

e n l a r g i n g i t s u b s t a n t i a1 l y . He d e n i e d he d i d t h i s w i t h an

i n t e n t i o n o f f a b r i c a t i n g e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t h i S e a r l i e r

a s s e r t i o n s , and t h o s e o f M r Grace, t h a t t h e can had been

d i s c h a r g e d f o l l o w i n g i t s p u n c t u r i n g . He be1 i eved o t h e r s

were p r e s e n t a t t h e t i m e . He d i d n o t r e f e r t o t h e m a t t e r

b e f o r e because h e had n o t been asked about i t by D e t e c t i v e

S e r g e a n t Co t tam.

F e d e r a l Agen t M c D e v i t t gave e v i d e n c e t h a t , i n Feb rua ry 1995,

he was a D e t e c t i v e S e r g e a n t , and O f f i c e r i n Charge o f t h e

D e f e n s i v e S k i l l s T r a i n i n g S e c t i o n i n Canber ra . He had been

a b s e n t when t h e d e f e n d a n t and M r Grace r e t u r n e d f r o m Sydney,

and d i d n o t resume d u t y i n h i s S e c t i o n u n t i l about 6 t h March

1995. He s a i d , on h i s r e t u r n , M r Grace showed h im a can,

w h i c h he be1 i e v e d t o b e e x h i b i t 4. He n o t e d a p u n c t u r e i n

i t , b u t c o u l d n o t remember i t s s i z e . He s a i d he c o u l d n o t

be1 i e v e "how t h i n t h e w a l l s o f t h e can were and how easy i t

was t o p u n c t u r e i t " . A t t h a t t i m e , he was unaware o f any

compl a i n t h a v i n g been made r e g a r d i n g an i n c i d e n t i n v o l v i n g

t h e car-!. He r e g a r d e d t h e can as " r u b b i s h " .

He s a i d he was o f c a p s i c u m

a l s o t o l d o f

t h e l e a k ' i n t h e

l a r g e w h i t e can

s p r a y w h i c h had been i n h i s s a f e . He s a i d he

b e l i e v e d t h a t can had had "a s o r t o f f r a c t u r e l i n e o r

someth ing l i k e t h a t on i t . I c o u l d n ' t say e x a c t l y where and

my be1 i e f was t h a t yes , i t l o o k e d l i k e i t s o r t o f (was ) f r o m

t h e i n s i d e . "

As t o what had o c c u r r e d w i t h t h e s m a l l can , e x h i b i t 4 , M r

Grace t o l d h i m t h a t , when h e and t h e d e f e n d a n t were i n

Sydney, t h e y had s m e l t c a p s i c u m gas i n t h e i r c a r . He s a i d

t h a t he (Grace ) r e a c h e d b a c k and opened t h e weapons bag ,

saw t h a t t h e can was p u n c t u r e d , "and g rabbed i t and h e l d i t

o u t t h e window" .

F e d e r a l Agent M c D e v i t t s a i d h i s ma in c o n c e r n a b o u t what had

o c c u r r e d was t h a t t h e w a l l s o f t h e can were so t h i n .

He added " i f t h e r e was an o f f i c e r w i t h one on h i s b e l t , say ,

and t h e y were r o l l i n g a r o u n d and h i t a r o c k , w h a t e v e r , w o u l d

i t p u n c t u r e j u s t as e a s i l y . T h a t was my c o n c e r n " .

He s a i d t h a t n o r m a l l y , used o b j e c t s such as t h e can w o u l d be

p u t i n a c a r d b o a r d box i n h i s o f f i c e , and when enough had

accumu la ted , h e w o u l d t a k e them t o B a l l i s t i c s f o r d i s p o s a l .

B e f o r e t h i s had o c c u r r e d w i t h t h e can , e x h i b i t 4 , he was

r e q u e s t e d t o l o c a t e i t , w h i c h h e s u b s e q u e n t l y d i d , and gave

i t t o D e t e c t i v e FORENSIC EVIDENCE.

S e r g e a n t

C o t t a m .

The r e m a i n i n g e v i d e n c e i n t h e case r e l a t e d t o s c i e n t i f i c

t e s t s c a r r i e d o u t by two f o r e n s i c e x p e r t s , one on b e h a l f o f

t h e p r o s e c u t i o n and one on b e h a l f o f t h e d e f e n c e .

D r Lennard gave e v i d e n c e on b e h a l f o f t h e p r o s e c u t i o n . He

i s t h e D i r e c t o r and P r i n c i p a l F o r e n s i c S c i e n t i s t i n t h e

S c i e n t i f i c U n i t , F o r e n s i c S e r v i c e s , o f t h e AFF . He i s t h e

h o l d e r o f a D o c t o r a t e i n Chemi s t r y , and has i m p r e s s i v e

c r e d e n t i a l s i n t h e f i e l d o f f o r e n s i c s c i e n c e , i n w h i c h he

has worked f o r some t e n y e a r s , i n c l u d i n g s e r v i c e w i t h an

o v e r s e a s l a w en fo rcemen t agency.

Dr Lenna rd s a i d he had been r e q u e s t e d b y t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s

i n t h i s case t o examine t h e can , e x h i b i t 4, t h e s h i v ,

e x h i b i t 5 , and t h e weapons bag, e x h i b i t 7 , w i t h a v i e w t o

d e t e r m i n i n g whe the r t h e s h i v c o u l d p r o d u c e a p u n c t u r e i n t h e

can w h i l e i t was i n t h e bag as a1 l e g e d l y be1 i e v e d by M r

G race .

He was a l s o asked t o c a r r y o u t t e s t s , u s i n g t h e s h i v on cans

s i m i l a r t o e x h i b i t 4 , i n o r d e r t o a s c e r t a i n whether t h e s h i v

c o u l d p r o d u c e a p u n c t u r e i n them such as was a l l e g e d t o

have o c c u r r e d i n t h e back o f t h e c a r .

Dr Lennard s a i d he r e c e i v e d t h e s h i v , t h e can, and t h e

weapons bag on 3 r d May 1996. On t h e n e x t day , he r e c e i v e d

a n o t h e r f u l l can, and t h e n l a t e r on, a f u r t h e r s i x f u l l cans

o f caps i cum s p r a y , f o r compar ison p u r p o s e s .

He c a r r i e d o u t e x a m i n a t i o n s o f t h e f i r s t t h r e e i t e m s under

w h i t e l i g h t , u l t r a - v i o l e t l i g h t , and a f o r e n s i c l i g h t

s o u r c e . Under u l t r a - v i o l e t l i g h t , on t h e b l a d e o f t h e s h i v ,

he f o u n d some weak l u m i n e s c e n t s t a i n s , and on t h e t a p e on

t h e h a n d l e , some v e r y weak l u m i n e s c e n t s t a i n s , ~ v h i c h were

c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a s m a l l amount o f caps icun l gas . i n t h e b a g ,

he found s m a l l q u a n t i t i e s o f t h e same s p r a y m a t e r i a l on t h e

c a n v a s . They were r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l s t a i n s , and ~ v e r e

random1 y d i s t r i b u t e d . They were, he s a i d , c o n s i s t e n t w i t h

d r i p s f r o m a n o z z l e rath her- t h a n a l e a k i n g c a n i s t e r . He

c o u l d d e t e c t a " v e r y weak caps i cum- t ype odou r " i n t h e bag .

Dr Lennard s a i d i t was n o t p o s s i b l e t o g e t a p i n h o l e

p u n c t u r e f r o m t h e s h i v , and, whe re a p r o b e was used t o

p roduce a h o l e , t h e r e was some e v i d e n c e o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f

t h e o r i g i n a l h o l e when t h e s h i v was u s e d t o e n l a r g e i t . I n

h i s v i e w , t h e r e was n o such e v i d e n c e o f a p r e v i o u s h o l e i n

e x h i b i t 4 . He conceded t h a t he h a d n o t examined t h e can o r

t h e s h i v m i c r o s c o p i c a l l y .

The D o c t o r s a i d t h a t i n o r d e r f o r t h e s h i v t o p e n e t r a t e t h e

can, t h e l a t t e r had t o be i n a r e a s o n a b l y f i x e d p o s i t i o n .

I f t h e s h i v p e n e t r a t e d t h e can , and r e m a i n e d embedded i n i t ,

t h e can w o u l d d i s c h a r g e i n l e s s t h a n t e n seconds . i f t h e

s h i v was removed, t h e can w o u l d d i s c h a r g e i n j u s t a few

seconds . On one o c c a s i o n , h e s a i d , t h e c a n , when

p e n e t r a t e d , s p r a y e d b a c k on t o h i m . He was w e a r i n g a w h i t e

c o a t a t t h e t i m e , and a p a t t e r n o f s p r a y wen t o v e r i t ,

c o n s i s t i n g o f s m a l l o r a n g e c o l o u r e d s t a i n s i n a m i s t

p a t t e r n . He had been abou t a m e t r e f r o m t h e can when i t

was p u n c t u r e d . The p u n c t u r i n g had been e f f e c t e d w i t h a

" s w i f t b l o w o f f a i r l y i n t e n s e p r e s s u r e " .

D r Lennard s a i d he was n o t r e q u e s t e d t o examine any o t h e r

i t e m o r i g i n a l l y c o n t a i n e d i n e x h i b i t 7 i n o r d e r t o d e t e r m i n e

whether t h e can rrlay have been p u n c t u r e d by an imp lement

o t h e r t h a n t h e s h i v ; r i e i t i ~ e r - had he o f i i i s own v o i i t i o n done

s o . He had a l s o n o t t e s t e d any o ther - i te rns i n t h e bag t o

d e t e r n ~ i n e whethei- t h e r e was e v i d e n c e o f c a p s i c u i ~ ~ gas on

them. He a g r e e d t h a t u l t r a - v i o l e t l i g h t c o u l d r e v e a l

whether t l l e r e was a p resence o f t i l e gas on such i t e m s .

Dr Lennard s a i d he had n o t conduc ted any e x a m i n a t i o n s t o

d e t e r m i n e whether a p i n p r i c k s i z e h o l e had f i r s t been made

i n t h e e x h i b i t 4 by a s m a l l d i a m e t e r o b j e c t , and t h e n a

l a r g e r imp lement , such as t h e s h i v , had p e n e t r a t e d i t . He

s a i d t h i s was because "any sma l l h o l e t h a t w o u l d have been

t h e r e wou ld have been damaged by any o t h e r imp lemen t p l a c e d

i n t h a t h o l e " . He s a i d t h a t , f r o m t h e " g e n e r a l

e x a m i n a t i o n " he conduc ted he saw no e v i d e n c e o f a n o t h e r h o l e

b e i n g p r e s e n t . He agreed t h a t i f t h e s h i v had i n i t i a l l y

p e n e t r a t e d t h e can, he wou ld have expec ted t o see a l a r g e

amount o f luminescence on i t , r e f l e c t i n g a l a r g e d i s c h a r g e

o f caps icum gas. A l l he d e t e c t e d on t h e s h i v was a weak

l um inescence " t h a t c o u l d p o s s i b l y have come f r o m OC

( caps i cum) s p r a y " . He had n o t been t o l d t h a t a s m a l l

i n i t i a l h o l e "was l i k e l y " . He was " o n l y i n f o r m e d t h a t t h e

h o l e had been produced as g i v e n t o me i n i t i a l l y , t h a t I was

l o o k i n g a t a l a r g e h o l e i n t h e s i d e o f t h e c a n . T h e r e was

no c o n s i d e r a t i o n a t t h a t t i m e t h a t t h e r e had a c t u a l l y been a

s m a l l h o l e i n t h e can t o s t a r t w i t h " .

S u b s e q u e n t l y , D r Lennard agreed t h a t t h e r e e x i s t e d a

p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e s h i v l iad been l a t e r p l a c e d t h r o u g l i a

smal l e r h01 H . tie added, however, t h a t l ie f o r m e d t h e

o p i n i o ~ : 1-l ia?, i f " t l i e s h i v was t i l e irni?lement t h a t l iad

o r i g i n a l l y p e r f o r a t e d t i l e can, t h a t i t was iriore l i k e l y t h a t

t l i e can l l ad ;70 - bias no longer. under p r e s s u r e because t h e r e

was no sp ray p a t t e r n o r s t a i n i n g on t h e h a n d l e o f t h e s h i v " .

Dr Lenna rd a g r e e d t h a t t h e t i m e t a k e n f o r t h e can t o empty

when p u n c t u r e d depended o n a number o f f a c t o r s , i n c l u d i n g

t h e s i z e o f t h e h o l e , t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e can , i . e . , whe the r

i t was c o m p l e t e l y under p r e s s u r e o r n o t , t h e o r i e n t a t i o n o f

t h e can , and w h e t h e r t h e imp lement p u n c t u r i n g t h e can p a r t l y

o b s t r u c t e d t h e escape o f g a s . He agreed t h a t , depend ing on

t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , i t c o u l d t a k e f rom 50 seconds t o a number

o f m i n u t e s f o r a can t o b e e m p t i e d .

Dr Lenna rd s a i d t h i s was t h e f i r s t t i m e he had c o n d u c t e d

t e s t s o f t h i s n a t u r e on a s p r a y c a n . He d i d n o t ag ree t h a t

a m e t a l l u r g i s t r e g a r d i n g

w o u l d

be

b e t t e r

p l a c e d

t o e x p r e s s

an

o p i n i o n

t h e n a t u r e and cause o f p e r f o r a t i o n s i n cans such

as e x h i b i t 4 . He ag reed t h a t he had conduc ted a g e n e r a l ,

r a t h e r t h a n a m i c r o s c o p i c e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e can .

onus c a s t on t h e d e f e n d a n t .

M r B r a d f i e l d s t a t e d t h a t he had agreed w i t h M r H a s t i n g s t h a t

t h e p r i n c i p l e s i n Gr ig inshaw v B r i g i n s h a w 60 CLR 336 a p p l i e d

t o t h i s case , i . e . , i t i s enough t h a t t h e a f f i r m a t i v e o f an

a l l e g a t i o n i s made o u t t o t h e reasonab le s a t i s f a c t i o n o f t h e

t r i b u n a l . However, t h e more s e r i o u s t h e a1 l e g a t i o n , t h e

h i g h e r t h e l e v e l o f p r o o f wh i ch i s r e q u i r e d . As D i x o n J .

i n t h a t case s a i d , a t page 362 : "The s e r i o u s n e s s o f an

a1 l e g a t i o n made, t h e i n l i e ren t u n l i k e l i hood o f a ~ i oCcu r l - ence

o f a g i v e n d e s c r i p t i o n , o r t h e g r a v i t y o f t h e consequences

f l o w i n g front a p a l - t i c u l a l - f i n d i n g , a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s w h i c h

must a f f e c t t h e answer t o t h e q u e s t i o n whether t h e i s s u e h a s

been p r o v e d t o t h e reasonab le s a t i s f a c t i o n o f :he t r i b u n a l " .

What t h e n , i s t h e more p r o b a b l e , Mrs D y e r ' s e v i d e n c e t h a t

she p e r c e i v e d t h e r e t o be a d e l i b e r a t e s p r a y i n g a t t h e bus

i n wha t she presumed was some s o r t o f r e t a l i a t i o n f o r

a n n o y i n g c o n d u c t b y t h e b u s p a s s e n g e r s , o r t h e e v i d e n c e o f

f i v e w i t n e s s e s t h a t t h e s p r a y i n g o f t h e can d i d n o t o c c u r i n

t h a t manner , i . e . , i t was n o t d i r e c t e d a t t h e bus? As

s t a t e d e a r l i e r , Mrs Dyer i s a c c e p t e d as a t r u t h f u l w i t n e s s ,

b u t h e r e v i d e n c e i s so much a t v a r i a n c e w i t h t h e o t h e r f i v e

p e r s o n s t h a t I f i n d i t d i f f i c u l t t o a c c e p t t h a t i t i s more

p r o b a b l e t h a n n o t t h a t she d e s c r i b e d what she saw
a c c u r a t e 1 y .

I t i s a m a t t e r o f n o t o r i e t y i n C o u r t s and T r i b u n a l s t h a t

c o m p l e t e l y h o n e s t w i t n e s s e s can g i v e i r r e c o n c i l a b l e v e r s i 011s

o f t h e same e v e n t . Sometimes t h i s i s because o f m i s t a k e n

p e r c e p t i o n s o f wha t t h e y obse rved , o r t o f a u l t y r e c o l l e c t i o n

o f t h o s e o b s e r v a t i o n s , o r b o t h .

E i t h e r Mrs Dyer was m i s t a k e n , o r t h e o t h e r f i v e w i t n e s s e s

were m i s t a k e n , o r , i n t h e case o f t h e d e f e n d a n t , Grace and

Hodder , t h e y we re l y i n g , as was s u g g e s t e d t o them. Such an

a l l e g a t i o n was n o t , however , d i r e c t e d a t McLean, and C lucas

was n o t c r o s s - e x a m i ned r e g a r d i n g l i i s s t a t e m e n t ; t h e i r

v e r s i o n o f what o c c u r ~ ~ e d was n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e o t h e r
t h r e e .

As p a r t o f an assess r i~en t o f where t h e p i -obabi l i t i e s 1 i e , i t

i s n e c e s s a r y , a s D i x o r ~ ~ .3 . o b s e r v e d , t o I iave r e g a r d t o t h e

t h r e e c r i t e r i a s t a t e d i n B r i g i n s h a w v B r i g i n s h a w : f i r s t l y ,

t h e s e r i o u s n e s s o f t41-s D y e r ' s a l l e g a t i o n , i . e . , t h a t t h e bus

d r i v e r and p a s s e n g e r s may have s u f f e r e d p h y s i c a l d i s t r e s s

and pe rhaps harm because o f G r a c e ' s a l l e g e d s p r a y i n g o f

caps icum gas a t them o r i n t h e i r d i r e c t i o n ; s e c o n d l y , t h e

i n h e r e n t u n l i k e l i hood o f an e x p e r i e n c e d and s e n i o r P o l i c e

i n s t r u c t o r b e h a v i n g i n such a dangerous1 y i r r e s p o n s i b l e way

t o w a r d s h i s s t u d e n t s and a f e l l o w i n s t r u c t o r ; and, t h i r d l y ,

t h e g r a v i t y o f t h e consequences t o h im, i . e . , undoub ted

d e t r i ment t o h i S Po l i c e c a r e e r .

The h i g h e s t m o t i v a t i o n sugges ted by M r H a s t i n g s f o r Grace t o

behave i n t h e way a1 l e g e d was t h a t he was d o i n g so i n

r e t a l i a t i o n f o r " c h i a c k i ng" f r o m t h e bus passenge rs . The

q u e s t i o n must t h e n be asked, why wou ld a h i g h l y e x p e r i e n c e d

and q u a l i f i e d s e n i o r Po l i c e i n s t r u c t o r , accustomed t o t h e

e f f e c t s o f caps icum gas , j u s t h a v i n g comp le ted a t r a i n i n g

c o u r s e s u c c e s s f u l l y w i t h good r e l a t i o n s between s t u d e n t s and

h i m s e l f and t h e d e f e n d a n t , d e p a r t i n such a g r o s s l y

i r r e s p o n s i b l e manner f r o m t h e s t a n d a r d s wh ich he had met up

u n t i l t h a t t i m e ? I n o t h e r words , would i t be l i k e l y t h a t

such a p e r s o n c o u l d so u t t e r l y l o s e h i s s e l f - c o n t r o l ,

p u t t i n g o t h e r s i n p o t e n t i a l dange r , i n r e s p o n d i n g t o what

was, a t mos t , good -na tu red " c h i a c k i ng"?

The re was no c h a l l e n g e made by t h e p r o s e c u t i o n t o G r a c e ' s

c h a r a c t e r , o r t o h i s c r e d e n t i a l s , as s e t o u t i n e x h i b i t 3 6 .

Over a l e n g t h y P o l i c e c a r e e r , he has q u a l i f i e d as an

i n s t r u c t o r i n seven a r e a s of d e f e n s i v e and f i r e a r m s t a c t i c s ,

and has c o - o r d i n a t e d o r i n s t r u c t e d i t 1 t w e n t y - t w o t y p e s o f

t r a i n i n g c o u r s e s i n t h e same a r e a s . H i s s u p e r v i s o r s a i d

t h a t i n s t r u c t o l - S had t o be " r - e s p o ~ i s i b l e , s e n s i b l e ( a n d

h a v e ) commonsense". He d i d n o t s u g g e s t t h a t Grace l a c k e d
t h o s e a t t r i b u t e s .

I t w o u l d a l s o b e n e c e s s a r y , i f M r s D y e r ' s v e r s i o n o f what

o c c u r r e d i s t o be a c c e p t e d i n p r e f e r e n c e t o t h e o t h e r f i v e

e y e - w i t n e s s e s , f o r an assessment t o b e made o f what

m o t i v a t i o n may have e x i s t e d , assuming he knew o f G r a c e ' s

a1 l e g e d m i s c o n d u c t , f o r t h e d e f e n d a n t t o s u p p o r t h im i n a

c o v e r up by mak ing f a l s e s t a t e m e n t s and f a b r i c a t i n g

e v i d e n c e . As I u n d e r s t o o d i t , t h e p r o s e c u t i o n ' s

s u g g e s t i o n was t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t was a1 l eged l y s u p p o r t i n g

Grace a s a r e s u l t o f some s o r t o f m i s g u i d e d l o y a l t y ,

a l t h o u g h i t d i d n o t seem t o b e p u t any h i g h e r t h a n t h a t .

A g a i n , a p p l y i n g t h e t e s t i n B r i g i n s h a w v B r i g i n s h a w ,

c o n s i d e r a t i o n w o u l d f i r s t have t o be g i v e n t o t h e

s e r i o u s n e s s o f t h e a l l e g a t i o n , i . e . , t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t l i e d

t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s , c o m m i t t e d a c r i m i n a l o f f e n c e by

t e l l i n g l i e s t o t h e T r i b u n a l o n o a t h , as w e l l as c o n s p i r i n g

w i t h Grace t o do so , and a t t e m p t e d t o f a b r i c a t e e v i d e n c e by

i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h t h e c a n . Second1 y , c o n s i d e r a t i o n would

a l s o have t o be g i v e n t o t h e " i n h e r e n t u n l i k e l i h o o d " o f a

rnan o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s u n b l e m i s h e d c h a r a c t e r and

p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a n d i n g as a s e n i o r P o l i c e i n s t r u c t o r behav ing

i n t h a t way. T h i r d l y , c o n s i d e r a t i o n w o u l d have t o be g i v e n

t o t h e g r a v i t y o f t h e consequences t o h im , i . e . , as i n

G r a c e ' s c a s e , undoub ted d e t r i m e n t t o h i s P o l i c e c a r e e r .

As t o t h e second, 01- " i n h e r e n t u n l i k e l i h o o d " t e s t , t h e

e v i d e n c e was t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t was r e g a r d e d by Fede ra l

Agent McDevi t t as "an e x t r e m e l y compe ten t i n s t r u c t o r . . .he

was someone who I c o u l d t r u s t t o d o t h i s s o r t o f j o b t o send

away and c o u l d h a n d l e and was

t e a c h

p e o p l e

d i f f e r e n t

programmes

i n t e r s t a t e .

He

competent w i t h a l l t h e weaponry and use

o f f o r c e p a r a p h e r n a l i a t h a t we u s e d and h e was a v e r y

competen t i n s t r u c t o r " .

A s t a t e m e n t f o r m i n g p a r t o f e x h i b i t 34 , t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s

c a r e e r c r e d e n t i a l s , was made by F e d e r a l Agent W . Comyn, a

member o f t h e Pr ime M i n i s t e r ' s P r o t e c t i o n Team. I n i t , he

s t a t e s t h a t he knew t h e d e f e n d a n t w h i l e he (Comyn) was C h i e f

D e f e n s i v e T a c t i c s I n s t r u c t o r a t t h e D e f e n s i v e S k i l l s

T r a i n i n g U n i t . The d e f e n d a n t was an i n s t r u c t o r w i t h Comyn

f o r a p e r i o d o f two y e a r s t o 1994, h a v i n g come t o t h e U n i t

w i t h an e x t e n s i v e l i s t o f q u a l i f i c a t i o n s i n d e f e n s i v e

t a c t i c s w i t h t h e AFP and w i t h NSW C o r r e c t i v e S e r v i c e s , where

he had s e r v e d f o r some y e a r s . Comyn s a i d he r e g a r d e d t h e

d e f e n d a n t ' s pe r fo rmance as " o u t s t a n d i n g " . He was " h i g h l y

r e g a r d e d by h i s p e e r s f o r h i s p r a c t i c a l knowledge; h i s

e x p e r i e n c e gave h im a h i g h d e g r e e o f c r e d i b i l i t y " . Comyn

s a i d he found t h e d e f e n d a n t t o b e " c o m p l e t e l y t r u s t w o r t h y i n

e v e r y sense" . He added t h a t a l o t o f t h e t r a i n i n g was

p o t e n t i a1 l y " f a t a l l y dangerous" , and t h e d e f e n d a n t , l i k e t h e

o t h e r i n s t r - u c t o r s , had a " h i g h d e g r e e o f r e s p o n s i b i i i t y t o

(h i r r1 )se i f atid s t u d e r i t s " , arld c o u l d " b e r e 1 i e d on t o car-I-y

o u t , unsupe rv i sed , t h e t r a i n i n g i n a s a f e and p r o f e s s i o n a l

nrannei." . The de fendan t d i s p l a y e d a h i g h d e g r e e o f

r e 1 i a b i l i t y even i n t i m e s o f heavy w o r k l o a d , h e s a i d , w h i c h

earned hit11 t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f r u n n i n g many c o u r s e s even

though he was a t t h e t i m e a r e l a t i v e l y j u n i o r i n s t r u c t o r .

t h e d e f e n d a n t wou ld t h e n j o i n w i t h h i m i n a f a r r a g o o f l i e s

and d e c e i t f u l c o n d u c t t o c o n c e a l t h e t r u t h .

As men t i oned e a r l i e r , t h e s u g g e s t i o n b y M r H a s t i n g s i n h i s

c l o s i n g address , t h a t t h o s e p a s s e n g e r s on t h e b u s who were

n o t c a l l e d t o g i v e e v i d e n c e were c o n c e a l i n g t h e t r u t h , i s

s e r i o u s l y weakened because t h e y were t h u s n o t g i v e n t h e

o p p o r t u n i t y o f r e s p o n d i n g t o such a s e r i o u s a s s e r t i o n .

On t h e o t h e r hand, t h e r e were two a r e a s o f t h e d e f e n c e c a s e

w i t h wh i ch I f ound some d i f f i c u l t y . One c o n c e r n e d M r

G r a c e ' s i n s i s t e n c e t h a t t h e s h i v had t o b e s e p a r a t e d f r o m

t h e can , and t h e o t h e r t o h i s e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e r e was no

i n t e r p l a y between t h e bus p a s s e n g e r s and h i m s e l f . I w i l l

r e t u r n t o t h e f i r s t p o i n t l a t e r .

The re was amp1 e e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e r e was some c o m m u n i c a t i o n

between t h e bus passenge rs and t h e c a r , a l t h o u g h i t was n o t

sugges ted by anyone t h a t i t was a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n a good-

n a t u r e d wav ing and exchange o f p1 e a s a n t r i e s . G r a c e ' s

r e c o l l e c t i o n i n t h a t r e g a r d i s o b v i o u s l y f a u l t y , b u t n o t

s u f f i c i e n t l y so as t o c a s t d o u b t s on t h e r e s t o f h i s

e v i d e n c e , e x c e p t as t o what he t h o u g h t caused t h e p u n c t u r e .

Grace d e n i e d s e e i n g t h e " r u d e g e s t u r e " a l l e g e d t o have been

seen by Mrs Dyer and F e d e r a l Agent Rahdon, b u t , c u r i o u s 1 y ,

by no one e l s e . Assuming t h a t t h e g e s t u r e o c c u l - r e d , and

was seen by h im, i t wou ld seerrl h i g h l y i m p r o b a b l e , g i v e n

G r a c e ' s background, t h a t i t c o u l d be s u f f i c i e n t t o goad h in i

t o a c t o u t o f c h a r a c t e r i n such a g r o s s l y i r r e s p o n s i b l e way.

I t u r n ~ i o w t o t h e f o r e n s i c e v i d e n c e . I f t h e e v i d e n c e o f D r

L e n n a r d i s t o b e a c c e p t e d , wh i ch , i n t h i s r e g a r d i t i s , i t

w o u l d appea r t h a t i t wou ld be i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e can t o be

p u n c t u r e d b y t h e s h i v so t h a t a p i n h o l e p u n c t u r e o c c u r r e d ,

as c l a i m e d t e s t s h e c a r r i e d o u t ,

i n t h e d e f e n c e

case .

T h i s

i s so

because

o f t h e

u s i n g t h e s h i v on s i m 6 l a r cans, and on

t h e e x a m i n a t i o n s he conduc ted t o a s c e r t a i n whether t h e r e

we re r e l e v a n t s t a i n s on t h e s h i v and i n t h e bag .

However, w h i l e I a c c e p t t h e v a l i d i t y o f D r Lenna rd ' s t e s t s

and f i n d i n g s , i n c l u d i n g t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e s h i v

p e r f o r a t i n g t h e can i n t h e bag as b e l i e v e d by Grace, a l l D r

L e n n a r d ' s t e s t s were d i r e c t e d t o t h i s end, a c t i n g on G r a c e ' s

a s s e r t e d b e l i e f t h a t t h a t had o c c u r r e d .

I t i s c l e a r , f r o m M r B r a d f i e l d ' s submiss ions , t h a t he

r e c o g n i s e d t h a t t h i s a s s e r t i o n by Grace i s a ma jo r weak s p o t

i n t h e d e f e n c e c a s e . He sugges ted i t c o u l d be e x p l a i n e d by

t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f u rgency i n wh i ch Grace formed h i s

be1 i e f . He was b e i n g a f f e c t e d by t h e l e a k i n g gas; h i s eyes

were w a t e r i n g , a f f e c t i n g h i s v i s i o n ; he was commencing t o

wheeze; t h e r e was g r e a t h a s t e i n h i s a t t e m p t t o f i n d t h e can

among a l l t h e o t h e r weapons and i t e m s i n t h e bag, and t o g e t

i t o u t o f t h e c a r as q u i c k l y as he c o u l d . There was no t i m e

f o r a c a l m and d i s p a s s i o n a t e assessment o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p

be tween t h e s h i v and t h e ca l l . He made a m i s t a k e , and t h a t

m i s t a k e caused t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n t o t a k e t h e wrong cou rse by

f o c u s i n g on t h e s h i v .

As t o t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f t h a t s i t u a t i o n e x i s t i n g , i t i s

r e l e v a n t t o c o n s i d e r what t h e bag c o n t a i n e d . The i t e m s

w h i c h were i n t h e bag, e x h i b i t 7 , a t t h e t i m e , were t e n d e r e d

as e x h i b i t 9 , i n a l a r g e bag o f s i m i l a r s i z e . An

e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h a t e x h i b i t r e v e a l s i t a s b e i n g f u l l o f a

d i s o r d e r l y j u m b l e o f weapons such as r e p 1 i c a handguns,

r e p l i c a sub-mach ine guns , b a t o n s , m a r t i a l a r t s imp lemen ts ,

and s i m i l a r i t e m s . M i s s i n g now, o f c o u r s e , a r e t h e

imp lemen ts t e n d e r e d as e x h i b i t s , i n c l u d i n g t h e can , t h e

s h i v , t h e a s s o r t m e n t o f s h a r p o b j e c t s such as " t h r o w i n g

s t a r s " and d a g g e r s , and t h e P a t r o l L i g h t . I f Grace i s t o

be b e l i e v e d , h e had t o rummage t h r o u g h t h o s e o b j e c t s t o

f i n d t h e can , w h i c h h e s a i d was n e a r t h e b o t t o m o f t h e b a g .

H i s m i s t a k e n c i r c u m s t a n c e s

c o r r e l a t i o n o f

t h e

s h i v

and

t h e

can

i n t h o s e

assumes more c r e d i b i l i t y .

Because t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n s p u r s u e d d i f f e r e n t c o u r s e s , i t

i s n o t p r i n c i p a l l y a q u e s t i o n o f d e t e r m i n i n g w h i c h body o f

f o r e n s i c e v i d e n c e i s t o b e p r e f e r r e d , e x c e p t f o r one a r e a .

D r L e n n a r d ' s m i s s i o n was t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e s h i v c o u l d

have p u n c t u r e d t h e c a n i n t h e bag . He s a i d i t c o u l d n o t ,

and I a c c e p t t h a t . However, he was asked whe the r a s m a l l

p u n c t u r e h o l e c o u l d have e x i s t e d b e f o r e t t i e s h i v l a t e r

p e n e t r a t e d t h e c a n , and he s a i d i t c o u l d n o t , because he

found no e v i d e n c e o f such p r i o r h o l e . He s a i d i t w o u l d , i n

any e v e n t , have been o b l i t e r a t e d b y t h e l a t e r p e n e t r a t i o n .

M r Ba rnes , 011 t h e o t h e r hand, s a i d he fou : i d e v i d e n c e o f ~ u . - ! ~ ~

p r i o r p e n e t r a t i o n because o f t t i e d e f o r m a t i o n he obse rved

th roug !? a h i g l i -powered i l i i cr-oscope; e v i den,::e v i h i c h lie s a i d

wou ld n o t have been a p p a r e n t t o D r i e n n a r d on h i s

e x a m i n a t i o n w i t h o u t such a s s i s t a n c e .

Mr B a r n e s ' m i s s i o n was p r i n c i p a l l y t o d e t e r m i n e what may

have caused an i n i t i a l p i n h o l e p u n c t u r e , and he c a r r i e d o u t

t e s t s w i t h t h a t i n m ind , c o n c l u d i n g t h a t t h e most l i k e l y

i t e m t o have done so was a p r o b e on t h e P a t r o l L i g h t . He

e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h i s was because t h e p r o b e s were o f t h e r i g h t

s i z e and n a t u r e , and t h e r e was e v i d e n c e o f caps icum

con tam i n a t i o n on t h e t o r c h . Assuming t h e can was

p u n c t u r e d i n t h e bag , M r Barnes s a i d i t wou ld n o t be

p o s s i b l e t o a s c e r t a i n p r e c i s e l y how t h i s o c c u r r e d , because

o f t h e j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f so many s h a r p o b j e c t s , and t h e

v a r i a b l e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s w h i c h a p p l i e d t o an assessment o f

t h e r a t e o f escape o f t h e gas r e f e r r e d t o e a r l i e r , such as

t h e p o s i t i o n s o f t h e can and t h e o b j e c t p u n c t u r i n g i t , t h e

f o r c e and t y p e o f i m p a c t , and amount o f gas i n t h e c a n .

As s t a t e d u n l i k e l y t h a t t h e

e a r l i e r ,

M r

H a s t i n g s

s u b m i t t e d

t h a t

i t was

h i g h l y

i t e m s i n t h e bag c o u l d have moved, so t h a t

t h e can was p u n c t u r e d by an o b j e c t such as t h e t o r c h p r o b e ,

and t h e n t h a t moved and t h e s h i v came i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h t h e

c a n . T h i s was so because o f t h e way t h e bay was h e l d

f i r r ~ ~ l y , w i t h t h e v e s t s on t o p . However, t h e r e was no

e v i d e n c e as t o t h e way i n w h i c h t h e bag was packed, o r how

Inany t i m e s i t had been l o a d e d and un loaded , o r ho~v o b j e c t s

w i t h i n i t c o u l d have {moved o r s e t t l e d o v e r t h e cour-se o f :he

t r i p . Grace s a i d t h a t , when he was l o o k i n g f o r t h e can, he

"pushed h i s bar-ids down t h r o u g h them, rnovi ng tihern w i t h my

hands as I w e n t " . There was no e v i d e n c e as t o what i t e m s

were moved b y hi111 d u r i n g t h i s p r o c e s s , o r what inay have been

a d j a c e n t t o t h e can b e f o r e h e a c t u a l l y saw i t , a t wh i ch t i m e

i t appea red t o h i m t h a t t h e s h i v was i n s i d e i t .

M r B a r n e s ' e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e d t h a t i t was n o t a m a t t e r o f

w h e t h e r t h e can w o u l d b e p u n c t u r e d i n t h e bag, b u t r a t h e r ,

when t h i s w o u l d o c c u r . H i s t h e o r y was t h a t a p r o b e on t h e

P a t r o l L i g h t t o r c h may have caused a s m a l l p u n c t u r e i n t h e

c a n . P r o p e l l a n t , r a t h e r t h a n g a s , may have escaped i n t h e

f i r s t i n s t a n c e , a l e r t i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t and M r Grace. Even

i n t h a t e v e n t , t h e r e w o u l d b e an u n m i s t a k e a b l e odour o f t h e

gas . The r a t e and m i x t u r e o f s u b s t a n c e s e s c a p i n g f r o m t h e

p u n c t u r e w o u l d d e t e r m i n e what c o n t a m i n a t i o n was l a t e r f ound

i n t h e bag , and on o t h e r i t e m s , such as t h e s h i v . T h a t

t h e r e was c o n t a m i n a t i o n n o t e d b y D r L e n n a r d on t h e s h i v may

i n d i c a t e i t s p r o x i m i t y t o t h e e s c a p i n g subs tance , and M r

Barnes s a i d he had no d o u b t a b o u t D r L e n n a r d ' s f i n d i n g o f

c o n t a m i n a t i o n i n t h e b a g . The l a t t e r s a i d , t h a t ,

d e p e n d i n g on t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , i t c o u l d t a k e f rom 50

seconds t o a c o u p l e o f m i n u t e s f o r a c a n t o d i s c h a r g e . The

d e f e n c e c a s e was t h a t t h i s was c o n s i s t e n t w i t h G r a c e ' s

e v i d e n c e as t o what o c c u r r e d .

O f s i g n i f i c a n c e i s M r B a r n e s ' a s s e r t i o n t h a t i f D r Lennard

had had t h e same b r i e f as he d i d , i . e . , t o t e s t i t e m s i n t i l e

bag w i t h a v ie ! , t o d e t e r r n i n i n g w h i c h ivas t h e most l i k e : y t o

have caused a p i n h o l e p u n c t u r e i n t h e can , u s i n g h i g t i -

powered r n i s c r o s c o p i c exami t i a t i ons , he ( D r i e n n a r d ) ivou ld

have come t o t h e same c o n c l u s i o n s .

Tha t s t a t e m e n t i s i m p o r t a n t because D r i e n n a r d was p r e s e n t

a t t h e T r i b u n a l h e a r i n g when M r B a r n e s gave h i s e v i d e n c e ,

and he was n o t c a l l e d by t h e p r o s e c u t i o n t o r e b u t any o f

t h a t e v i d e n c e , i n c l u d i n g , i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e l a s t - m e n t i o n e d

a s s e r t i o n .

I t must be s a i d t h a t M r Barnes p r e s e n t e d as a c r e d i b l e

w i t n e s s , w e l l q u a l i f i e d as a f o r e n s i c s c i e n t i s t , and

e x p e r t i n t h e f i e l d o f m e t a l l u r g y and i m p a c t t e s t i n g o f

m a t e r i a l s , t o exp ress t h e o p i n i o n s w h i c h he d i d . W h i l e h i s

ev idence was n o t c o n c l u s i v e as t o what p u n c t u r e d t h e c a n , h e

posed a c o n v i n c i n g s c e n a r i o t h a t i t c o u l d h a v e been a p r o b e

on t h e P a t r o l L i g h t t o r c h .

As t o t h e a l l e g e d a t t e m p t e d f a b r i c a t i o n o f e v i d e n c e by t h e

d e f e n d a n t i n c r e a t i n g t h e l a r g e h o l e i n t h e c a n , h i s

e v i d e n c e , and t h a t g i v e n by Grace, was t h a t t h e r e was a

s m a l l , p i n h o l e s i z e p u n c t u r e i n t h e c a n i n i t i a l l y . The

e v i d e n c e o f M c D e v i t t was t h a t t h e r e was a h o l e , b u t h e c o u l d

n o t r e c a l l what s i z e i t was. F i t l e r s a i d t h a t t h e r e was a

s m a l l , about one m i l l i m e t r e s i z e , h o l e i n t h e can b e f o r e he

and t h e d e f e n d a n t s t a r t e d t o e x p e r i m e n t w i t h o t h e r o b j e c t s

t o d e t e r m i n e how t h i n t h e w a l l s o f t h e c a n w e r e , and t h a t

e v i d e n c e was n o t c h a l l e n g e d .

I f ound c o n v i n c i n g M r Ba rnes ' e v i d e n c e t h a t such a h o l e was

p roduced b e f o r e t h e l a t e r l a r g e h o l e w h i c h was p r i n c i p a l l y

caused by t h e d e f e n d a n t , w i t t i F i t i e r ' s a s s i s t a n c e . The

d e f e n d a n t ' s e v i d e n c e , suppo r ted by F i t l e r , t h a t t h e h o l e was

liiade as p a r t o f t h e i r t e s t i n g , i s , i n lriy v i e i v , ntor-e p r o b a b l e

t h a n t h e p r - o s e c u t i o n ' s a s s e r t i o n t h a t i t o c c u r r e d i n an

a t t e m p t t o f a b r i c a t e ev idence r e g a r d i n g how t h e can was

o r i g i n a l l y p u n c t u r e d .

One m a t t e r o f r e l e v a n c e i n t h i s r e g a r d r e l a t e s t o t h e

i n t e n d e d d i s c a r d i n g o f used cans . M c D e v i t t s a i d t h a t such

i t e m s were s t o r e d f o r a w h i l e , t h e n he a r r a n g e d t h e i r

d i s p o s a l . He r e g a r d e d t h e can i n q u e s t i o n as " r u b b i s h " .

T h a t b e i n g so , i t makes more c r e d i b l e t h e e v i d e n c e o f F i t l e r

and t h e d e f e n d a n t t h a t , i n i n s e r t i n g o b j e c t s i n t o t h e can ,

t h e y were unconce rned a b o u t i t s b e i n g t h e r e b y damaged. The

t a c t i s t h a t o n l y M c D e v i t t was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r d i s p o s a l

a c t i o n , so t h a t i t was known t h a t t h e can wou ld be

p r e s e r v e d i n t h e c o n d i t i o n i n wh i ch t h e d e f e n d a n t and F i t l e r

l e f t i t u n t i l t h a t a c t i o n was t a k e n . None o f t h o s e t h r e e

p e r s o n s was aware o f Mrs D y e r ' s c o m p l a i n t , o r o f any

i n v e s t i g a t i o n b e i n g u n d e r t a k e n , a t t h e t i m e t h e can was
damaged.

F i t l e r was c a l l e d as a w i t n e s s f o r t h e p r o s e c u t i o n , and i t

was n o t sugges ted t o h i m t h a t he was n o t t e l l i n g t h e t r u t h

a b o u t t h e t e s t i n g o f v a r i o u s imp lements on t h e can, o r t h e

r e a s o n s g i v e n by t h e d e f e n d a n t , and by h i m s e l f , f o r what was

done by them.

From t h a t e v i d e n c e , i t f o l l o w s , i n my v iew , t h a t t h e

p r o b a b i l i t i e s f a v o u r t h e p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t was

t e l l i n g t h e t r u t h a b o u t ~.iI iy he and F i t l e r caused dainage t o

t h e can by e n l a r g i n g t h e t l o l e wh ich he , Gr-ac:e, F i t l e r , anci

McDevi t t swore was t h e r e i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e .

To summarise my assessment o f t h e e v i d e n c e :

1 . Mrs D y e r ' s e v i d e n c e as t o t h e manner o f G r a c e ' s

s p r a y i n g o f t h e caps icum s p r a y c a n i s t e r i s n o t more p r o b a b l e

t h a n t h e v e r s i o n g i v e n b y t h e d e f e n d a n t , Mr Grace , C o n s t a b l e

Hodder , F e d e r a l Agent McLean and C o n s t a b l e C l u c a s .

2 . The e v i d e n c e d i s c l o s e s no r e a l i s t i c m o t i v e f o r G race

d e l i b e r a t e l y t o s p r a y caps icum gas a t a b u s c o n t a i n i n g a

c o l l e a g u e i n s t r u c t o r and t r a i n e e s who had been h i s

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y .

3 . The s p r a y i n g c o u l d a c c o r d i n g l y n o t b e f o u n d , on t h e

b a l a n c e o f p r o b a b i l i t i e s , t o b e d e l i b e r a t e .

4 . M r G r a c e ' s a s s e r t e d be1 i e f t h a t t h e s h i v had p u n c t u r e d

t h e can was, on t h e s c i e n t i f i c e v i d e n c e , c l e a r l y m i s t a k e n .

A l t h o u g h t h e e v i d e n c e o f c o n t a m i n a t i o n on t h e s h i v i n d i c a t e s

i t must have been exposed t o caps i cum gas , and t h e r e f o r e i n

c l o s e p r o x i m i t y t o some form o f e s c a p i n g gas , i t c o u l d n o t

have been t h e implement wh i ch caused t h e p u n c t u r e .

5 . G i ven t h a t i t i s more p r o b a b l e t h a n n o t t h a t t h e c a n

was n o t d i s c h a r g e d d e l i b e r a t e l y , t h e p r o b a b i l i t i e s f a v o u r

t h e e v i d e n c e o f Grace and t h e d e f e n d a n t t h a t i t d i d l e a k

i n s i d e t h e b a g .

6 . M r Ba rnes ' c o n c l u s i o n t h a t a p r o b e on t h e P a t r o l L i g h t

i s t h e rriost l i k e l y i~ t~p lemer- i t t o have caused a p i t i h o i e s i z e

p u n c t u r e i s , i n t h e absence o f any c o n t r a r y e v i d e n c e , t h e

rriore p( -obabl e scenar i o as t o iul iat occur- red.

7 . There was no cover- up o f t h e a l l e g e d nr isuse o f t h e

caps i cum gas c a n i s t e r by Grace and t h e d e f e r - ~ d a r i t , o r , i n

v i e w o f M r H a s t i n g s ' s u b m i s s i o n s r e g a r d i n g most o f t h e

p a s s e n g e r s o n t h e bus a t t h e r e l e v a n t t i m e , by any o t h e r
p e r s o n .
CONCLUSION.

Because o f my assessment o f t h e e v i d e n c e , I b e l i e v e t h e

p r o s e c u t i o n has n o t d i s c h a r g e d t h e onus i t b e a r s , h a v i n g

r e g a r d t o t h e p r i n c i p1 es e n u n c i a t e d i n B r i g i nshaw v

B r i g i n s h a w , o f e s t a b l i s h i n g i t s case on t h e b a l a n c e o f
p r o b a b i l i t i e s .

I t f o l l o w s t h a t I f i n d t h e d e f e n d a n t , C o n s t a b l e P e t e r Ross

H i l l , n o t g u i l t y o f t h e charges a g a i n s t h i m . k L

J . J . AINER.
MEMBER

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Citations

Commissioner of Police v Hill [1997] AFPDT 1

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d i s g r a c e f u l	c o n d u c t ,	c o n t r a r y	t o R e g u l a t i o n	18
( l ) ( d )	o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n	F e d e r a l	P o l i c e	( D i s c i p l i n e )

P e t e r	Ross	H i l l commi t ted	t h e	o f f e n c e o f	k n o w i n g l y
mak ing	f a l s e and	m i s l e a d i n g	s t a t e m e n t s ,	c o n t r a r y	t o
R e g u l a t i o n	1 8 ( l ) ( a )	o f	t h e A u s t r a l i a n	F e d e r a l	P o l i c e
( D i s c i p l i n e )	R e g u l a t i o n s ,	t h e	T r i b u n a l	f i n d s	h im

R e g u l a t i o n	1 8 ( 1 ) (d . ) o f	t h e	A u s t r a l i a n	F e d e r a l	F o l i c e
( D i s c i p l i n e )	R e g u l a t i o n s ,	t h e	T r i b u n a l	f i n d s	h im

DATE	: 1 5 t h JANUARY	1997.
PLACE	:CANBERRA.	A .C.T .
REASONS FOR DECISION

i n o r d e r	t o f a b r i c a t e	e v i d e n c e	i n s u p p o r t	o f	a	r e p o r t	made
by	h im	r e g a r d i n g an	i n c i d e n t	i n v o l v i n g t h e can	t h a t	t h e	c a n

The	second	cha rge a l l e g e d t h a t ,	on 2 0 t h A p r i l	1995,	when	h e
was	b e i n g i	n t e r v i eived	by	D e t e c t i v e S e r g e a n t	Cottal l1	r e g a r d i n g

1996 .	The	Commiss ioner	was	r e p r e s e n t e d	by	M r	P.	H a s t i n g s
QC,	and	Mr	I .	Nash	o f Counse l .	The	de fendan t	was

r e p r e s e n t e d	by	Mr	I.	B r a d f i e l d ,	S o l i c i t o r .
Because	most	o f t h e w i t n e s s e s	were	members	o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n

To	s i m p l i f y	t e r m s	used	i n t hese	Reasons	f o r	D e c i s i o n ,	t h e
c a s e	p r e s e n t e d	by	M r	H a s t i n g s	w i l l	be	r e f e r r e d t o t h e	" t h e

c a s e " .	As	some	o f t h e s ta temen ts made	by	members	o f t h e
A u s t r a l i an	F e d e r a l	Pol i c e	(AFP)	rega l -d i ng	t h e	m a t t e r

comple t ion	o f	a	segment	o f	an	I n v e s t i g a t o r s '	Course
i n v o l v i n g	t r a i n i n g	i n d e f e n s i v e	s k i l l s .	M r .	Grace	and	t h e

t h e median	s t r i p abou t	a	c a r ' s	l e n g t h b e h i n d t h e Commodore,
w h i c h was	i n t h e same	l a n e .	Mrs Dyer was	d r i v i n g a Ta rago

t h e c e n t r e l a n e ,	and	a l o n g s i d e t h e	sedan.	She	d i d n o t	know
t h a t	t h e r e	was	any	c o n n e c t i o n	between	t h e

f o o t f rom	t h e bus,	and he	sprayed a long t h e o t h e r windows,
as	i f he kep t h i s f i n g e r on t h e s p r a y .	She was	no t sure i f

Dyer	no ted t h e number	o f t h e sedan,	a b l u e Commodore,	as
Z Z B 9 9 2 ,	and	her	son wro te	i t down.

t h e p e o p l e	i n t h e c a r was	an	assumpt ion ,	based o n what	she
p e r c e i v e d	t o be	i n t e r p l a y between	t h e t w o	v e h i c l e s ,	t o g e t h e r

w i t h what	she	d e s c r i b e d	as	a	r u d e	f i n g e r	g e s t u r e	f r o m	t h e
bus	d i r e c t e d towards	t h e	sedan.	It	i	S	o b v i o u s	f r o m	Mrs

The	d e f e n d a n t ,	M r	Grace,	and	C o n s t a b l e	Hodder ,	made	i t
c l ea r	i n	t h e i r	s ta temen ts	t o	t h e	i n v e s t i g a t o r s	o f	Mrs

gas	had	been	d i scha rged	by	Grace,	t h e y	r e j e c t e d	t h e
s u g g e s t i o n	t h a t	i'liat	had	o c c u r r e d	'was	d e l i b e r a t e ,	o r	t h a t

on	t o p o f t h e bag ,	and	t h e n weapons	and o t h e r	i t e m s	i n t h e
b a g ,	t r y i n g t o	f i n d t h e c a n .	When	he saw	i t "down	t o w a r d s
t h e	b o t t o m o f t h e bag" ,	i t seemed	t o h im t h a t	a	s h i v ,	o r

[1997] AFPDT 1

15 Jan 1997

b e g i n n i n g t o w a t e r	and	s t a r t i n g t o b u r n ,	and	he	had a s l i g h t
cough and wheeze.

l e a n e d	" o u t s t r e t c h e d	c o m p l e t e l y	o u t	o f	t h e	window"	o f	t h e
c a r	and	d i s c h a r g e d	t h e can	between	t h e c a r	and	t h e bus .	He

d i s s i p a t e d	t o	t h e	r e a r ,	and	downwards,	between	t h e	two
v e h i c l e s .	The	who le	p r o c e s s	t o o k	o n l y	a	few	secoqds .

M r	Grace	d e n i e d	t h a t	t h e	s p r a y	f r o m	t h e	can	was	d i r e c t e d
t o w a r d s	t h e	b u s .	He	t h o u g h t	t h e	windows	o f	t h e	bus	were

f o u n d	i t	i n t h e	bag .	However,	he	c o u l d	n o t	t h e n	see
c l e a r l y ;	h i s	eyes	were	s t a r t i n g	t o	b u r n	and	b e g i n n i n g	t o

w a t e r .	H i s s o l e	conce rn	was	t o g e t	t h e	c a n	o u t	o f t h e c a r
as	q u i c k l y	as	p o s s i b l e .	He	e x p l a i n e d	t h i s	t o	t h e

t h e bus	"by	way	o f a	p r a n k " .	He	a l s o	d e n i e d	t r y i n g t o
c o v e r	up	t h o s e	a c t i o n s	by	t e l l i n g	f a l s e h o o d s	t o	t h e

s p r a y i n g	caps icum	gas	i n t h e	manner	a l l e g e d	b y	Mrs	Dye r
w o u l d	b e	i r r e s p o n s i b l e	and	dange rous ,	b u t	i n s i s t e d	i n	h i s

t h r e e	y e a r s .	He	had	conduc ted	o r	undergone	many	c o u r s e s
i n t h e	r e l e v a n t	s k i l l s ,	i n v o l v i n g	b o d i e s	o ther -	t h a n	t h e	AFF,

t h e n	saw	Mr	Grace	" d i s c h a r g i n g	t h e	c o n t e n t s	o f	OC	s p r a y " .
He s a i d m i r r o r s and	h e	l o o k e d	i n t o	h i s	r e a r	v i s i o n	m i r r o r	and	s i d e