His family begged for my help

JOURNALIST Don Hale looked into the case after Ched’s trial. He writes:

It’s almost exactly four years since Ched’s family contacted me. They were at their wits’ end. They were pleading with me to review his case.

Ched had already lost his appeal opportunity. There was now only one route open to show his innocence.

That was by presenting a submission of fresh evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, who would study any new facts and hopefully refer the case back to the Court of Appeal. This was a tall order for any case. Still, I was horrified by my findings. He had not received a fair trial and key evidence had been ignored.

But it was a tough case to deal with. There was actually no scene of crime, no DNA or forensic evidence.

Clayton McDonald was acquitted while Ched was convicted. This seemed another anomaly. I spent six months sifting through witness statements, trial documents, viewing CTV footage, and visiting locations. I visited Ched in jail and grilled him. He was a forlorn and lonesome figure with tears in his eyes. He said he felt shamed about the way he had treated the alleged victim. He was disgusted with himself for cheating on his girlfriend. But he kept repeating it was consensual sex. With new evidence the CCRC fast-tracked the case. My concern now is that Ched was lucky. He had financial clout. Joe Average doesn’t have this luxury. What hope of justice do they have?