According to an inquiry into historic LGBTQI hate crimes, there are serious issues with the way the NSW Police Force investigates unsolved homicides, and public confidence in the force should be questioned. The inquiry has uncovered a series of blunders and delays, including lost exhibits, failure to test key evidence, lack of forensic testing, and mismanagement of evidence, which have hindered the progress of the investigation into multiple unsolved murders. This has led to several scheduled cases being disrupted and unable to proceed.
During the inquiry, Supreme Court Justice John Sackar expressed concern about the police’s “ineptitude” after crucial documents and evidence requested 13 months ago were only provided to the inquiry the day before the cases were set to be heard. The inquiry also revealed that victims’ blood-stained clothing was never sent for forensic analysis and other exhibits were either lost or left untouched in evidence boxes for decades.
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The commissioner of the inquiry, Supreme Court Justice John Sackar, questioned whether these issues were due to police incompetence. He stated that the haphazard production of requested documents and materials, which has been a recurring problem over the past 13 months, raises concerns about the lack of confidence in the inquiry’s access to all relevant information. Rescheduling multiple cases at the last minute has forced lawyers and staff to work through the night.
According to counsel assisting the inquiry, Peter Gray SC, the mismanagement of cases and exhibits by the NSW Police Force and the unsolved homicide team is seriously problematic. The inquiry was recently delayed due to last-minute developments from the police, including the production of additional documents in the case of former AC/DC manager Crispin Dye. Gray alleged that NSW Police store archived records haphazardly in multiple locations without consistent labeling. This mismanagement is a concern for the community.
Justice Sackar described the series of events as “extraordinary” and criticized the police’s lack of organization and professionalism. He questioned why the existence of document repositories was only revealed recently, despite the inquiry raising these questions months earlier. This mismanagement not only undermines the work of the inquiry but also raises concerns about the internal record keeping within the police force.
In response to these revelations, Justice Sackar ordered a senior member of the NSW Police Force to address the questions raised during the hearing. The Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTQI hate crimes is investigating various deaths that occurred between 1970 and 2010.
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