Wendy Bacon Journalist, activist
Menu№ 29 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
For 25 years, the State has maintained Roseanne Beckett is guilty. So, John Maconachie's opening in the malicious prosecution trial held no surprises.
№ 28 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Innocent accused who lose appeals against conviction are in a very tough position in NSW
№ 27 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
On day two of his opening, Paul Blacket SC explains how the Roseanne Beckett frame-up was aimed at helping her husband escape sexual assault charges.
№ 26 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Paul Blacket SC opens the case for the plaintiff in Becket v The State of NSW on July 28, 2014.
№ 25 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
On July 27, Roseanne Beckett's malicious prosecution trial against the NSW government began. Wendy Bacon will blog during the proceedings.
№ 24 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Roseanne Beckett passes Channel Seven's lie detector test.
№ 23 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Despite questions hanging over both the Crown and NSW Police involved in the convictions of Roseanne Beckett, why has no one been held accountable?
№ 22 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Last week, Roseanne Beckett won her High Court appeal, but the NSW Attorney-General is resisting compensation. It's time to put a spotlight on the Crown's conduct in this case, writes Wendy Bacon.
№ 21 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
My last post introduced readers into an investigation into the frame-up of Roseanne Beckett (previously Catt). Three days after we published Fire Trail in October 2000, we published a second feature. This one specifically focused on Roseanne's case, about which the media had been silent since she was imprisoned in 1991.
№ 20 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
This week, Roseanne Beckett (previously Catt) unanimously won her appeal to the High Court of Australia against the New South Wales Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW DPP), clearing the way for her to sue NSW for malicious prosecution.
№ 19 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
The High Court of Australia clears the way for Roseanne Beckett to sue for malicious prosecution.
It's 22 years since the then NSW Detective Peter Thomas led a group of police who raided Roseanne Catt's house in Taree. He then charged her with a number of charges including assault and attempted poison of her then husband Barry Catt. After a four months trial, in 1991, she was convicted of eight offences. Roseanne ( who now used the name Beckett) spent the next ten years in prison but was released after the media and new witnesses raised fresh evidence and questions about whether there had been a miscarriage of justice. A NSW Supreme Court Inquiry later found that the key prosecution witnesses, including Thomas, had conspired against her. The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal later acquitted her of the attempted poisoning charge and dismissed a number of other charges. Two convictions remain. Today, Roseanne Beckett's malicious prosecution case begins in the NSW Supreme Court. I've followed this case for 11 years for Sydney Morning Herald. Here is my last report. will be following the case with twitters, posts and stories.
№ 18 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
NSW Victim Compensation Board orders Roseanne Catt to pay former husband, Barry Catt
№ 11 in Roseanne Beckett: A Miscarriage of Justice
Roseanne Catt ( Beckett) was convicted of overdosing her husband with lithium. In truth it was the chief prosecution witnesses who planted the drug.