SouthAussie
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This is from a legal site …
Protection Against Self Incrimination
If you are called as a witness and placed in the position where answering a question or providing evidence will incriminate you, you must still answer the question and produce the evidence. Under Section 18B.2, any information that you do give in a NSWCC hearing cannot be used against you in civil or criminal proceedings. Section 18B.3 allows evidence you give to be used in proceedings related to contempt of NSW Crime Commission investigations.
NSW Crime Commission
An article on NSW Courts and Commissions, giving information about Nsw Crime Commission.www.armstronglegal.com.au
I would suggest that FM Barrister will argue this point extensively.
The general wording states they can’t use evidence from the NSWCC, but whether or not there is a technicality with the law and the wording, who knows???
If a child was testifying as a direct witness would that make a difference?? Do they have enough other evidence to make a legal case, without the NSWCC evidence??
If not, you would think they would drop the case???
I am not sure if the “contempt” (Section 18B.3) would hold, as FM has been found not guilty of Lying to the NSWCC???
You do raise a good point SA.
IMO
I am reading virtually the same thing, in the Act. That any evidence that a person gives cannot be used against them, but they can be charged with lying (if they are thought to have lied), at a Crime Commission hearing.
Crime Commission Act 2012 No 66
Also, this ....
Section 39(2) provides that an answer made, or document or thing produced, by a witness at a hearing before the Commission is not admissible in evidence against the person in any civil or criminal proceedings or in any disciplinary proceedings.
An exception includes where the evidence is utilised in proceedings seeking to prosecute a witness on the basis that their evidence was false or misleading.
CRIME COMMISSION NSW SUMMONS- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Which seems to highlight to me that the police didn't care about the consequences for sister. They were single focused.
And they still didn't find William.
1. They sat on the alleged assault, did not notify FACS for seemingly quite a while
2. They reportedly have a weak alleged assault case
3. When they did notify FACS, sister was instantly removed ... no foster family counselling given, no attempts at reconciliation with the foster family, just gone from the home she had lived in for (was it?) 11 years .. most of her life
4. Was she taken away with just the clothes on her back? None of her favourite things?
5. This life instability/event could be very damaging for sister during her teen years and beyond
6. I would bet that sister didn't know this would be the consequence of angrily rebelling against another foster child, she might have thought she could stay and the other child would go.
(all IMO)
I feel very sad for her.