Police confused about expenses take a look at: inquiry

By Maeve Bannister in Canberra

A MEMBER of the investigating group that examined Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation has admitted there may be confusion amongst police concerning the authorized take a look at required to cost a suspect. 

Emma Frizzell, a senior constable with the Australian Federal Police sexual assault and youngster abuse group (SACAT), appeared earlier than the Sofronoff Inquiry analyzing how the ACT justice system dealt with the high-profile case.

She was concerned in investigating Ms Higgins’ allegation that former colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her in 2019, contained in the Parliament Home workplace of then coalition minister Linda Reynolds after an evening out. Mr Lehrmann denies the allegation.

In her assertion to the inquiry, Sen Const Frizzell stated she believed the authorized take a look at to cost a suspect was having an affordable perception the proof supported the prospects of a conviction. However having watched inquiry hearings for the previous few weeks, she realised she was fallacious.

“I’d concede that I don’t have it proper (and) what I’ve written in my assertion will not be proper,” she informed the inquiry on Thursday.
Requested if there was nonetheless confusion amongst police about what the authorized take a look at to cost a suspect is, Sen Const Frizzell stated: “Sure, I’d say that there’s.”

Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold beforehand informed the inquiry he was involved about what officers believed had been the standard-of-proof checks required to cost somebody.

Sen Const Frizzell, when requested concerning the relationship between police and Ms Higgins, denied investigators resented the previous Liberal Occasion staffer for speaking with them via the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates.

However it made it tough to construct a relationship with Ms Higgins, she stated.

“It allowed no communication, no contact. You possibly can’t construct rapport or a relationship with somebody you’ll be able to’t communicate to.”

The inquiry beforehand heard proof Ms Yates assisted police, together with organising Ms Higgins to offer extra proof, which was helpful to the investigation.

Sen Const Frizzell stated Ms Yates’ involvement meant she couldn’t construct the kind of relationship she usually would with a complainant.

However beneath cross-examination by Ms Yates’ lawyer Kirsten Edwards, the senior officer conceded she now had a greater understanding of the commissioner’s position.

Sen Const Frizzell defined having the title “commissioner” – a excessive rank inside the police – impacted her notion of Ms Yates performing as a assist individual.

On the time, the investigator didn’t know Ms Higgins had requested Ms Yates’ to be her assist individual, which she was entitled to do.

“Since my engagements with Ms Yates in relation to this matter, I’m able to interact together with her and never really feel as I described earlier than,” Sen Const Frizzell stated.

The inquiry was informed by AFP Detective Superintendent Scott Moller that SACAT is used as a “coaching floor for budding detectives” and lots of officers had been “very younger and inexperienced”.

However he stated investigators had been devoted and hard-working nonetheless.

Supt Moller stated he was pleased with his officers for pursuing Mr Lehrmann’s prosecution regardless of holding private beliefs there was not sufficient proof to cost him.

Whereas he initially thought there was not sufficient proof, Det Supt Moller stated his opinion modified when he learn recommendation from Mr Drumgold that the prosecution ought to go forward.

However he wouldn’t concede that his unique view of the case was fallacious or that investigators had misplaced their objectivity.

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