Australia: Watchdog probe of police in murder case

WESTERN Australia's corruption watchdog is to investigate allegations of police misconduct during the prosecution of a man for the murder of a pregnant woman.

Stacey Thorne, 35, was 22 weeks pregnant when she was repeatedly stabbed in the chest at her home in Boddington, about 120km southeast of Perth, in late 2007.

She knocked desperately on several neighbours' doors after the attack but died before paramedics arrived.

Scott Douglas Austic, who had been in a secret relationship with Ms Thorne for a year before her death, was convicted of her murder in 2009 and sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison.

He has always maintained his innocence, and launched an unsuccessful appeal against the conviction in 2010.

However, today the Corruption and Crime Commission said it was now investigating allegations of misconduct by WA Police relating to the collection and handling of evidence used in the case.

"The commission cannot give an indication at this stage of how long its investigation will take," a statement from the CCC said.

The prosecution in the 2007 trial alleged Austic was having a secret sexual relationship with Ms Thorne, who then became pregnant.

It was alleged Austic attempted to persuade Ms Thorne to have an abortion, sending text messages begging and pleading with her not to have the baby.

On the night of Ms Thorne's death, Austic was said to be so drunk he was refused service at the local Boddington hotel, and after having sex with Ms Thorne, allegedly returned on foot to her home some time later and stabbed her 21 times with a folding knife.

He then allegedly walked home, leaving Ms Thorne to die, before burning his clothes in a wood-fire heater and washing his thongs in an attempt to hide evidence.

In sentencing, Justice Peter Blaxell said the attack was "savage and determined".

"Some of the stab wounds were inflicted after she had fallen on to the floor," Justice Blaxell said. "You also left Ms Thorne to bleed to death in her bedroom and she did not immediately die.

"In that regard it is dreadful to contemplate the agony she must have suffered during her last 20 to 30 minutes while staggering out her unit and down the street for help."

Despite the failed appeal, allegations that evidence may have been planted, withheld and misrepresented during the trial were raised late last year with WA Attorney-General Michael Mischin, after a review by forensic experts Clint Hampson and Robin Napper.

The petition was based on a review of the evidence, which included a cigarette packet with a stain of Ms Thorne's blood found on a table in Austic's back yard.

It was claimed the packet was not on the table when police photographed it on December 13, but then appeared in a photo taken more than 30 hours later.

Original report here




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