‘Chilling': Hundreds of rape kits untested
The report, authored by forensic biologist Kirsty Wright, details extensive issues including unreliable results, long delays in testing, and contamination, problems that have significantly impacted police investigations, court proceedings, and victims of crime.
The findings come after the state government commissioned the review in its first week in office, appointing Dr Wright and former FBI expert Bruce Budowle to assess testing services and reforms. A new forensic report has revealed critical failures in DNA testing. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: NCA NewsWire
According to the report:
• FSQ has been providing unreliable DNA results to police and courts since early 2023 due to systemic contamination.
• Delays in reporting DNA evidence have worsened, placing the justice system under 'critical system failure'.
• The median turnaround time for DNA results in major crimes is 412 days, almost 400 days longer than what police require.
• The backlog of untested rape kits increased from 75 in 2023 to 511 by September 2024, with some tests taking more than a year despite guidelines recommending completion within two to eight weeks. The formation of an independent expert team will be led by former NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller. Picture Scott Powick / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
The government has responded by announcing the formation of an independent expert team, to be led by former NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller, with continued involvement from both Dr Wright and Dr Budowle.
Premier David Crisafulli said the report 'exposes a harrowing chapter in Queensland's justice system'.
'We launched this review because Queenslanders deserve the truth and victims of crime deserve justice,' Mr Crisafulli said.
'This report shows what has occurred is nothing short of a betrayal of victims, but we are determined to rebuild confidence and restore integrity in the justice system.' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the report showed 'nothing short of a betrayal of victims'. Dan Peled / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said the report's findings 'rocked the foundations of our justice system'.
'Dr Wright's findings aren't just concerning, they're chilling, and I know this report will be very difficult reading for victims,' Ms Frecklington said.
'To restore safety where you live, we must resource our courts and police with evidence they need
Ms Frecklington said she was confident trust in the DNA testing system could be rebuilt.
In addition to launching the expert panel, the government has pledged $50m over two years to clear the DNA backlog by outsourcing samples for testing.
A further $6m will go to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to help deliver faster outcomes in DNA-related matters. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington described the report as 'chilling'. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia
Dr Wright said she was committed to helping rebuild Queensland's forensic system.
'I have been determined to leave no stone unturned with my review, knowing that the failures that occurred under the former government have seen our criminal justice system compromised, trust in our forensic DNA services eroded, and too many victims denied justice,' Dr Wright said.
Mr Fuller said he was prepared for the work ahead.
'I am under no illusions that there is significant road in front of us as we work through the very serious issues raised,' Mr Fuller said.
'It is a great privilege to be entrusted with such a transformative task.'
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State's major call on greyhound racing
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The Advertiser
7 hours ago
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Crash pilot a 'cocaine-using party animal', court told
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Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell he knew Mr Robinson was a "party animal" who used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. "I think we all enjoyed a beer and having a good time," Mr Purcell said, agreeing he had seen Mr Robinson use cocaine. Under questioning by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci, Mr Purcell admitted not filling out maintenance release forms after flying Wright's helicopters. He had seen Wright disconnect meters and agreed the helicopter operator was "lenient" when it came to record keeping, he said. The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. 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Wright has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Darwin to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried crash investigators would uncover flight-time meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. The jury on Monday heard from helicopter pilot Jock Purcell who was on the croc-egg collecting mission on the day of the crash. He admitted disconnecting Hobbs flight-time recorders and falsifying flight records when directed by Wright and gave evidence Mr Robinson had showed him how to disconnect the meters. Senior Defence Counsel David Edwardson KC put it to Mr Purcell his friend Mr Robinson was "hopeless with his paperwork" when it came to keeping up to date with his flight record keeping. Mr Purcell agreed and admitted that after the crash, when Mr Robinson was in hospital, he had updated flight records for the injured pilot's own helicopter when asked to do so. "He just reached out and I did it for him," Mr Purcell said. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell that those on the croc-egg mission were part of a close-knit community. "In many respects you were as thick as thieves ... performing an incredibly dangerous exercise, so you had to have each others backs," he said. Mr Purcell agreed, but concurred Wright was known to have zero tolerance for drugs. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell he knew Mr Robinson was a "party animal" who used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. "I think we all enjoyed a beer and having a good time," Mr Purcell said, agreeing he had seen Mr Robinson use cocaine. Under questioning by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci, Mr Purcell admitted not filling out maintenance release forms after flying Wright's helicopters. He had seen Wright disconnect meters and agreed the helicopter operator was "lenient" when it came to record keeping, he said. The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. "You wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?" Mr Gullaci asked. "I don't believe so," Mr Purcell replied. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash or Mr Wilson's death. The trial before acting Justice Allan Blow is expected to take up to five weeks. A pilot whose helicopter crashed, killing Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson, was a "party animal" and cocaine user who was "hopeless" at keeping flight records, a court has been told. Pilot Sebastian Robinson was left a paraplegic following the February 2022 crash during a crocodile-egg collecting mission in remote swampland in the Northern Territory. Mr Wilson, a friend of reality TV star and helicopter operator Matt Wright, was slung on a line below the chopper when he plunged to his death. Wright has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Darwin to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried crash investigators would uncover flight-time meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. The jury on Monday heard from helicopter pilot Jock Purcell who was on the croc-egg collecting mission on the day of the crash. He admitted disconnecting Hobbs flight-time recorders and falsifying flight records when directed by Wright and gave evidence Mr Robinson had showed him how to disconnect the meters. Senior Defence Counsel David Edwardson KC put it to Mr Purcell his friend Mr Robinson was "hopeless with his paperwork" when it came to keeping up to date with his flight record keeping. Mr Purcell agreed and admitted that after the crash, when Mr Robinson was in hospital, he had updated flight records for the injured pilot's own helicopter when asked to do so. "He just reached out and I did it for him," Mr Purcell said. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell that those on the croc-egg mission were part of a close-knit community. "In many respects you were as thick as thieves ... performing an incredibly dangerous exercise, so you had to have each others backs," he said. Mr Purcell agreed, but concurred Wright was known to have zero tolerance for drugs. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell he knew Mr Robinson was a "party animal" who used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. "I think we all enjoyed a beer and having a good time," Mr Purcell said, agreeing he had seen Mr Robinson use cocaine. Under questioning by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci, Mr Purcell admitted not filling out maintenance release forms after flying Wright's helicopters. He had seen Wright disconnect meters and agreed the helicopter operator was "lenient" when it came to record keeping, he said. The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. "You wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?" Mr Gullaci asked. "I don't believe so," Mr Purcell replied. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash or Mr Wilson's death. The trial before acting Justice Allan Blow is expected to take up to five weeks. A pilot whose helicopter crashed, killing Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson, was a "party animal" and cocaine user who was "hopeless" at keeping flight records, a court has been told. Pilot Sebastian Robinson was left a paraplegic following the February 2022 crash during a crocodile-egg collecting mission in remote swampland in the Northern Territory. Mr Wilson, a friend of reality TV star and helicopter operator Matt Wright, was slung on a line below the chopper when he plunged to his death. Wright has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Darwin to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried crash investigators would uncover flight-time meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. The jury on Monday heard from helicopter pilot Jock Purcell who was on the croc-egg collecting mission on the day of the crash. He admitted disconnecting Hobbs flight-time recorders and falsifying flight records when directed by Wright and gave evidence Mr Robinson had showed him how to disconnect the meters. Senior Defence Counsel David Edwardson KC put it to Mr Purcell his friend Mr Robinson was "hopeless with his paperwork" when it came to keeping up to date with his flight record keeping. Mr Purcell agreed and admitted that after the crash, when Mr Robinson was in hospital, he had updated flight records for the injured pilot's own helicopter when asked to do so. "He just reached out and I did it for him," Mr Purcell said. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell that those on the croc-egg mission were part of a close-knit community. "In many respects you were as thick as thieves ... performing an incredibly dangerous exercise, so you had to have each others backs," he said. Mr Purcell agreed, but concurred Wright was known to have zero tolerance for drugs. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell he knew Mr Robinson was a "party animal" who used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. "I think we all enjoyed a beer and having a good time," Mr Purcell said, agreeing he had seen Mr Robinson use cocaine. Under questioning by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci, Mr Purcell admitted not filling out maintenance release forms after flying Wright's helicopters. He had seen Wright disconnect meters and agreed the helicopter operator was "lenient" when it came to record keeping, he said. The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. "You wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?" Mr Gullaci asked. "I don't believe so," Mr Purcell replied. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash or Mr Wilson's death. The trial before acting Justice Allan Blow is expected to take up to five weeks.
Perth Now
8 hours ago
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‘Oh s--t': Cop's reaction as woman's body found
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