Labor
LET JUSTICE BE DONE: Theo’s accuser has serious legal problem in Greece
In excellent news that will warm the hearts of many patriots, highly regarded former Industry Minister Theo Theophanous has launched legal proceedings against the forty five year old woman who accused him of rape nearly ten years after she claims it happened.
The parliamentarian has been forced out of the Industry Ministry, had his office searched and his reputation viciously attacked by the left-wing press following her claims, suspected by many of being fabricated by her to make money.
The accuser is being sued for $10 million, which she clearly doesn’t have. We understand the woman lives in a quiet village of four hundred people, alone with her brother. It’s not about the money for the MP though. It’s about justice and truth and fighting for his good name.
From the Sunday Herald Sun’s account it appears that there is potential criminal liability for the forty-five year old woman if she’s found guilty of making a false accusation of a criminal nature.
She faces up to five years in jail.
If she’s lying, that’s clearly where she belongs.
It’s understandable that the former MP focuses on the hurt and damage sustained by the people he loves, his family.
Some of Theo’s old rivals have told VEXNEWS that the MP played hard and what goes around comes around.
A terrible sentiment indeed. They forget the words of Martin Luther King “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
No one – and I mean no one – deserves to be falsely accused of rape. In our system of justice, it’s an allegation the state makes against a person that is only exceeded by a murder charge. It’s deadly serious and not for corrupting by political interests or bureaucrats making themselves feel important by bringing down the prominent.
This kind of thing happens all to often.
We profess no expertise in Police procedure. But we can smell a political thrill-kill. And this reeks of it.
Charging him – regardless of the outcome in court – has been a serious punishment in itself.
Failing to properly interview the accused after extensive questioning of the accuser seems like what it is: unfair, dodgy and risky in terms of arriving at the truth.
And that’s all that matters here in the end: the truth.
Because the damage to the people of Victoria is already done. We must already pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a very long investigation and even more bizarre prosecution. We must endure the loss of one of their best and brightest from the public service to which he’d dedicated his life. We must have our system weakened by the inevitable loss of faith in VicPol should the charges be thrown out when they come to trial.
To read more about the legal proceedings click here.
And an extensive interview with Theo click here.
Also interesting is this dreadful story of false rape claims against a prominent politician in England. The accuser in that was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Discussion
57 comments for “LET JUSTICE BE DONE: Theo’s accuser has serious legal problem in Greece”
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The law in Victoria protects those who falsely accuse, whether it be rape, social security claims that allege false de facto relationships, or the EPA.
The latter, the EPA, is a money earner for the Victorian government. It acts like the Stasi, and anyone is free to make a false claim for littering, most commonly throwing a cigarette butt out of the window of a car. No investigation is made into false accusers, for that might discourage informers. Unfortunately the majority of people will pay a fine after receiving an infringement notice rather than contesting it.
The Stasi culture is producing many false informers. The beneficiary may be Red Ted if John Brumby doesn’t act.
Best wishes to Theo, a good Minister and a great MP. It is very sad that you have been forced to stand down.
good minister hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha you kill me. the list of theo’s achievements in the last administration, and in this one, is a blank page
Bout time. By making an accusation, you get your own legal team (called the Police and OPP) to do your bidding against someone you dont like and they have to foot the bill of their defence.
The benefits of making accusations are:
1. You get to tarnish the other side’s name;
2. You get to put them through great anxiety and worry whilst you have no such concerns as you are effectively immune from any penalties;
3. The Police and OPP do your bidding;
4. Even if your accused is found ‘not guilty’, they can be lumbered with $100,000 or more in legal costs. So even if your accusations fail, you still could have cost your accused their life savings.
Gotta love that legal system. Where are we again? East Germany? South Africa? Zimbabwe?
No, we live in Labor’s Victoria.
Theo must read this esteemed organ. May I modestly point out that I raised this an appropriate response & tactic when the scandal was first publicised herein. Standards of proof are rather lower in a civil matter (and, I’ll wager, even lower in Greece) so it’s going to make it hard to get a jury conviction in the criminal matter when the soi disant victim has been convicted of making a fraudulent accusation. And is heading for a prison sentence.
Vicpol and the OPP are going to come out looking like incredulous dummies. It will do their reputation no good; not that it’s shiny bright now. Theo will resume his previous duties, a sadder but wiser man. It will get a couple of column inches on page 10 of The Age.
walter, in case you haven’t noticed, they’ve given his cabinet spot to martin pakula, so resuming his previous duties is a stretch
A breach of the sub judice rule amounts to a contempt of court
If Theophanous is trying to influence his criminal trial by taking civil legal action in Greece – isnt that in someway illegal? It sounds a bit iffy to me. Like blackmail in a way. But I’m just a layperson!
Ten mill from an unemployed person!!!
She is also psychiatrically disturbed and mentally ill according to an earlier blog here.
it doesnt really matter what theo does he is not apart of the new deal!! he wont be endorsed on labors ticket
It will not work. He will burn. snap crackle pop and sizzle!
Yeah… but what if he is guilty?
$10 million might be a good start for compo!
The OPP and Vicpol are not idiots. Theo has fallen for the oldest trick in the book. Theo has been claiming for ages that he wants to put forward his side of the story. The OPP want him to do that from the witness box where he can be mercilessly cross examined. Something that can’t be done in a police interview. Theo is in strife now and he knows it. His only option now is either jump into the witness box and allow himself to be cross examined or elect not to give evidence, something that a jury ( and certainly the media and general public) could arguably construe as a sign of guilt.
Nice try Theo but the coppers have called your bluff.
When’s this woman accuser getting in the witness box? I wanna see her grilled, minced and spat out by Robert Richter QC.
whose Robert Richchter?
This is like a fans at a football game. My team is best yours sucks.
Did he do it – I dont know but the police are not stupid.
I see the 10 mil threat as a way to try and make this go away. Would it not be better to make that claim after the rape case is heard here then sue if he is found not to have done it.
As yet the brief of evidence will not have been made available to Theo, so he can’t really know what the cops really have on him. If he had done the crime, then why (with all his lawyers by his side) would he make public statements which limit his ability to give an exonerating account of what happened?
I doubt a guilty man, unsure of how much of his crime the cops could prove, would behave in this way…
I think Theo is the victim here and Andrew is right that this whole thing reeks of a political thrill-kill. And the cops/OPP are either part of it or they fell for it.
The problem now is, no matter how weak the Police/OPP becomes, they won’t drop it for fear of their own jobs. Sad really. The Police/OPP have so much riding on this they simply have to proceed, regardless of the evidence.
whots a breif of evidence?
Correct. As the DPP Jeremy Rapke has admitted in a speech given at Melbourne Uni in 2008, “…the failure of a prosecution against such a [high profile] individual damages the prestige and standing of the prosecution service.”
Funny that Theo bleats about trial by media but wont shut the hell up.
Bully boy tactics wont get the case dropped Theo, you are rooted.
The OPP are going to have to continue this prosecution no matter what because they can’t afford to “drop” the case. Some justice.
Need to take those Theo-coloured glasses off Vexnews.
Do you really think VICPOL and the DPP would charge a Minister if they didn’t have a good brief?
Imagine the shit that would rain down on them if it’s found to be a baseless charge.
Yes Anon. And you dont think Raptke or the Cops are capable of ever fucking up?
Also, Raptke & Co. perhaps felt they HAD to charge Theophanous for fear that if they didn’t, they would be accused by the “victim” of not prosecuting her attacker because he is an MP.
I have no time for Raptke but its a tough spot for him to be in for sure.
Anon above. Jeremy Raptke should grow a set of balls and realise a false accusation from a mentally challenge woman when he sees one.
Rapke and the cops continually have this view of “Charge em and let the courts sort it out” mentality which serves to promote and encourage false accusations.
The Police and OPP have a case!
the simplest explanation is usually correct
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geeze you really going to town on the law and order side of things, how come there is so many posts and not enuf indians?
I saw what I saw.
Now who is looking for money, Theo
Hypocrite
Now who is the money chaser, Theo??
Hypocrite
what did you saw??? but did you clean down the walls before the forensicks came in to dust.
i saw it too, i saw it too
Once a Theophanous always a Theophanous!
He is just like his brother.
As for his achievements as a MP and Minister, it is a bloody short list.
Theo – what a total Dud!
But he’s got a down on the unemployed. He must be a director of centrelink where the unemployed wait all day to be seen by fat public servants who can rarely help them. Maybe all the unemployed should be hit with a ten million dollar civil suit to wake them up! Maybe they need a tour of Theo’s parliamentary office…
maybe who knows what’s best in Northcoathanger land. Maybe they have a great ferris wheel for parties and fetes. Somefink to do is better than nufink at all.
Everyone wants to hate on Theo
It’s clear that all the people on this site who makes these cynical, accusatory, and insulting remarks about Theo are severely prejudiced
That’s right, I’m talking to YOU evil bastard, mr plod, natasha the despoiler, muttley, what, perks, and the many gutless anonymous’
Theo probably put your nose out of joint at one point or another, so now you want to come out and kick him while he’s down. Either that or you’re just jealous of his achievements. For all those who say “there are none”, how many of you have become Ministers? Oh that’s right.. NONE!
… jealous f*ckers
You’re cowardly, immature, unimaginative, snivling little scum who like to hide in the dark. It’s tall poppy syndrome and you are too short to deserve any sunlight
Instead of hating on others who MAKE IT in life, and trying to bring them down. Why don’t you expend your energy on something positive
Pieces of sh*t that you are
Quit hating is that you rita
calling theophanous a TALL poppy is a bit wrong
Cleaners unite! Why should we lose our jobs when we catch pollies at it in tax payer funded offices!
i waz present Theo done nothing wong
His brother was innocent aas well wasnt he?
This is a political ambush on me and my family. My brother and I have always been innocent. God bless the Theophanous brothers.
Nup itsah not me, anony, i think its somebody else. I am still looking the dustbins, might find something of interest and hand it in
i am gutted!! i am so gutted
It was “little Theo” that did the dirty!
Theo is a tall doggy dropping.
it was telmo and the underworld
This Theophanous drama is moving into the world of the surreal. The Age has a full page interview in today’s Age (page 4). It is a clever piece in that it skirts the sub judice restrictions. Theophanous is now hinting at police impropriety (not illegality) and bias (again not illegal). The story also serves to smooth the sharp edges to Theophanous’ character. That he makes admissions about not being a saint and hints about what might be discovered in his texts suggests that might pose a problem for him. All of this is disturbing. At minimum it may influence the jury pool.
One of the premises of the sub judice rule is to maximise the chances of a fair trial. That means not polluting the jury pool. This is a real shift to the more aggressive style of American defence model. It is appallling. In the US the prosecutors have responded to this approach by being even more aggressive. It is a terrible development.
What really sticks in my gut is that Theophanous has reportedly sued his accuser in Greece. That is disgusting. Why Greece?
The alleged facts upon which the suit is presumably based occured in Autralia. If he issued in Australia the first thing a court would have done is stay the proceeding pending the outcome of the criminal trial. But why sue now. This person is the key witness. Rape trials are almost invariably about 2 witnesses the victim and the accused. The victim has to give evidence.
The accussed sometimes does. Usually the balance of the witnesses are relevant only to medical evidence, credit, admissions and alibi. In rape trials the victims evidence is usually the lynch pin. So now Theophanous sues the victim for $10 million. No pressure on her I am sure.
It stinks to high heaven. He should be ashamed as should the Age. Lets see if the OPP has a look at this development and applies for a gag order.
my big fat greek legal battle
you are an idiot
look at how the DPP has tried to gag theophanous, while allowing an “anonymous” woman from greece rave all over the front page of the age
the system here should be MORE like the US, so at least politicians have some measure of protection from these sort of crimes
we need to have a strong criminal penalty for people making false accusations. Just as strong as the punishment for the crime they are saying occured
Wow… many thanks for your lovely deragoratory remark,”idiot”
greatly appreciated…
Political cronyism at play here well done..
Where is the ethnic greek lobby in all of this….?
Are they on this site…?