Judge issues sound advice
AUDIO equipment at North Queensland police stations will be reviewed after a judge slammed the quality of recorded evidence.
Judge Gregory Lynham last week called for an audit of recording equipment in North Queensland police stations.
Judge Lynham made the comments in the Townsville District Court after being told a child had to give evidence again because the initial evidence taken in a police station was inaudible.
“It just beggars belief that sub- standard equipment is being used in some police stations in 2018 and something needs to be seriously done about that,” he said.
“And if it’s a resourcing or funding issue, that needs to be given attention but the Queensland Police Service will see more and more of these applications successfully made on behalf of defendants, which causes a great injustice to the children involved here simply because equipment is not up to scratch.
“But I’ve made my feelings ... on this point very clear previously and if it falls on deaf ears, invariably the complainant children in child sex matters will be the losers. If that’s regarded as acceptable it’s a sad state of affairs quite frankly.”
A Queensland Police Ser- vice spokesman said they were not previously aware of quality issues with audio equipment in the Northern Region.
“A review of all audio equipment is currently under way to ensure an appropriate quality of recording is maintained in order to support the judicial process,” he said.
The court heard that a poor quality recording meant the child witness had to give her evidence in full during a prerecording of evidence ahead of a trial because the recording taken by police was “so bad”.
Judge Lynham said there were often cases where “the quality of recording equipment is such that you can barely make out what they’re saying”.
“In some cases I’ve heard you can’t make out anything they’re saying,” he said.
Judge Lynham said children would have to give more and more evidence in courtrooms, extending the process for them significantly, unless equipment was improved.