Coroner & Legal
Court clears Police Commissioner
ABC ONLINE
The case against Tasmania’s suspended Police Commissioner has been thrown out.
Late last year, Jack Johnston, pleaded not guilty to disclosing official secrets.
He was accused of passing on secret information about a police investigation to the Government.
Today Justice Peter Evans told the Supreme Court in Hobart the prosecution was doomed to fail on issues of duty and authorisation.
That means the Police Commissioner has the authority to decide if particular information should be disclosed and he would not have to justify his conduct.
Justice Evans ordered a permanent stay on proceedings allowing Mr Johnston to go back to work.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Tim Ellis, has indicated he will consider an appeal.
The appeal would be heard in the High Court.