The Prosecution
The court case was held on 18 May 2005. At 9.30 am, two hours before the case, the police prosecutor told Boland’s mother Rosalyn, Toomelah elder Ada Jarrett and a Toowoomba Legal Aid representative that the Tomkins would only get a fine or a good behaviour bond, according to Mrs Boland and Jarrett.
According to Jarrett and Mrs Boland, a police sergeant and the prosecutor then repeatedly pressured them for another two hours to sign statements dropping the more serious charge of assault occasioning bodily harm in company, for which there is a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail. The sergeant and prosecutor claimed the Tomkins would walk free if Boland didn’t arrive at the courthouse on time, said Jarrett and Mrs Boland.
Read more about this topic: Tomkins Incident
Famous quotes containing the word prosecution:
“The prosecution of [Warren] Hastings, though he should escape at last, must have good effect. It will alarm the servants of the Company in India, that they may not always plunder with impunity, but that there may be a retrospect; and it will show them that even bribes of diamonds to the Crown may not secure them from prosecution.”
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)