Pay-out ‘should be millions’

Press, 30 July 1980, Page 6

Pay-out ‘should be millions’

PA Wellington. I The secretary’ of the Police! [ Association (Dr R. A. Moodie) 1 said yesterday that Mr Arthur Thomas should receive between Si million and $9 million in compensation. Anything less than seven figures would be an insult to' what Mr Thomas had lost, i Dr Moodie said any per-; sonal feelings about the case; should be put aside when; considering compensation; for Mr Thomas since his pardon. "I don’t think you can compensate for 10 years in prison followed by a statement

■ that you were wrongly im- ! prisoned and now deemed inI nocent. | “You have also to consider i the loss of liberty, loss of [family, psychological effects, i and he effects on his family.” I The Government was view-

ing compensation in terms of] wrongful imprisonment, Dr! Moodie said. I

“In that context you are looking at a very substantial amount.”

He said he expected Police Association allegations

against the Royal Commission of Inquiry to be heard by the High Court at Auckland early next week. The commission should never have been set up, Dr Moodie said.

“How can you pardon a man and say he is deemed innocent and then establish a Commission of Inquiry to find out if the police had reasonable grounds for prosecuting?” It was in effect putting Mr Thomas on trial again, he said.

The police had objected to the commission right from the start because of this.