24 January 2011

Ten years on the run from the law would give anyone anxiety

| johnboy
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The ABC reports that Justice Gallop has come out of retirement for the sentencing of Peter Clarke, who absconded ten years ago before he could be sentenced for his dole in the Burns Philp fraud.

Clarke’s defence lawyers sought an adjournment to allow time for legal aid to assign new representation and for Clarke to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

His lawyer told the court Clarke suffers anxiety disorders.

Justice Gallop replied, “the man is giving everybody an anxiety disorder”, but agreed to adjourn the case to next month.

You’d think at this point he’d just want to get it over with.

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dtc said :

Gallop was the last of the old school judges; in some way good riddance as he was pretty cranky most of the time.

Agree with you on that one dtc. In crim circles he was known as the hangman. I’d pe pretty surprised if this guy got off lightly. Never know though, Gallop might have gone soft in his retirement.

Stealing someone’s property no doubt would cause a variety of anxiety disorders like the fear of being caught.

Honestly if you commit a crime man up and take your punishment. It is not like anyone can claim they did not know stealing $4M was a crime. That is what is meant by taking a ‘risk’. That is you might actually be caught.

As my sister and I lost the small inheritance left to us by our grandmother through his embezzlement, I am hoping he receives at least some jail time for his crime. As it seems likely that this will be minimal due to time served, I’m glad he is feeling at least some effects of his time on the run.

(My sister went to court yesterday and he was looking quite fine with a new haircut and all!)

Ian said :

I wonder if doing a runner adds a special bonus to his sentence. Justice Gallop will probably give him 3 months community service instead of 2.

Gallop was the last of the old school judges; in some way good riddance as he was pretty cranky most of the time. However, he knew/knows how to sentence.

He’s in custody anyway, so he may as well try to get a psychiatric assessment which may help him in sentencing.

Being anxious after being on the run for ten years and knowing you’ll be spending some time in jail would be a fairly normal reaction for most people in the same situation, I’d imagine.

Probably not as much as ten years caught in legal process. If jail doesn’t get to you, the process will for sure.

Not sure how anxiety disorder is in any way relevant to his sentencing. May have been relevant to his conviction if he suffered at the time of committing the crime, but not relevant now to how long he goes to jail for.

I wonder if doing a runner adds a special bonus to his sentence. Justice Gallop will probably give him 3 months community service instead of 2.

Poor petal!

No doubt ten years in a nice comfortable cell should sooth his troubled breast.

fine, belittle anxiety disorders. It’s okay, I’l just hide like usual.

anyways

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