Man released from jail over Vic Pol bungle

VICTORIA'S chief police commissioner is confident a swearing in bungle will not impact any more cases, after a man walked free from jail over the issue. The Victoria Police blunder, revealed late last month, was caused by an administrative oversight of the laws and resulted in more than 1000 officers being unlawfully sworn in. It means those officers made arrests, pressed charges and issued orders without valid powers from July 2014 to August 2021. The issue was aired in Ringwood Magistrates Court on Monday, where a man was released from custody after his case was struck out. The Herald Sun reported the man, who was charged with weapon and drug offences, successfully argued his arrest and charges were invalid as the officer involved was wrongly sworn in. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the amount of time the man spent on remand was also a factor in the magistrate's decision. "That person had been on remand for nearly six months, 178 days, and we had sought to adjourn the matter so we could further argue the case," he told ABC Radio. "The magistrate has made a comment to the effect that the charges, really for the amount of time he's already spent in jail he's not going to get any more, and so to adjourn it wouldn't have been fair." Mr Patton has no fear that other cases will be impacted by the bungle. He said urgent retrospective laws, which passed through state parliament on Tuesday, will resolve all outstanding issues. "I've been briefed on the retrospective legislation, that will put beyond doubt any issues in any of these cases whatsoever," he said. Victoria Police said it was reviewing the case to decide whether it will appeal the magistrate's decision. "We continue to work closely with government to resolve the administrative error and remain confident that remedial legislation will shortly pass," a police spokesman said. Police Minister Lisa Neville on Wednesday said the bill, which is awaiting royal assent from Victoria's governor, is expected to become law on Friday. "Hopefully by the end of the week it will have royal assent and take effect," she told reporters. –AAP

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