Cold case review announced

On THURSDAY, 13 APRIL 2006 a PRESS CONFERENCE was held at the Western Australian POLICE HEADQUARTERS in Perth.

The announcemnt of a review into the investigation of the murder of Pamela Lawrence was made by DEPUTY COMMISSIONER CHRIS DAWSON
AND THE UK FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR, PROFESSOR BARCLAY

MR DAWSON announced that the WA police are undertaking through the Special Crime Squad a review of the investigation into the murder of Pamela Lawrence which took place on the 23rd may, 1994. Briefly, the SCS was established late last year as part of the major crime division. The purpose of that squad is to address the management of cold cases in WA. That’s been staffed with experienced detectives, a forensic specialist and intelligence staff. The squad has responsibility for comprehensive review of all unsolved homicides over 2 years old, all unsolved serious sexual assaults over 2yrs and other offences, as directed. They are particularly directed to review homicide investigations that have been subject of an appeal where the conviction has been set aside, or that there’s been an acquittal in the matter.

In terms of the investigation review regarding the tragic murder of Mrs Pamela Lawrence, on 13 March this year the police commenced a review process in which committee was formed, chaired by Dpty Cmmsnr Chris Dawson, and SCS officers have been tasked with a particular review and that is to cover the following areas:
a) a comprehensive assessment of all persons of interest nominated for the offence and any subsequent investigation into those persons or others;
b) a comprehensive assessment of all messages or information received by police in relation to the investigation and the subsequent police action;
c) a comprehensive review into the forensic evidence relevant to the murder of PL.

Professor David Barclay is the former head of forensic evidence area within the Forensic Services Institute in the UK, and Prof Barclay expand on what his role is in terms of the forensic part of this review process. is known to the people already because he assisted the WA police in reviewing the Macro matter, into the Claremont Serial murders, which is still subject to an ongoing investigation by the SCS. The particular task that the police have asked Prof Barclay to do is to assist the WA police with matters specifically related to the PL murder.

As the WA police have said before that Andrew Mallard remains the prime suspect in this matter, we are confident that a review of this matter will once and for all show that Andrew should never have been a suspect - there is no evidence , forensic or otherwise to link Andrew to this crime. The only "evidence" against Andrew is what the police say Andrew said to them. These interviews were never recorded.

We hope that the findings will be made public and that the WA police make every effort possible to bring to justice the real perpetrator of this terrible crime. The cold case review is a positive step in the right direction.

Saving Andrew Mallard - screening on ABC TV 8.30pm, Thursday 4 May

Saving Andrew Mallard is the remarkable true story of a small team of people who for over a decade, fight to quash the murder conviction of Andrew Mallard and in February 2006, eventually see him set free.

Andrew Mallard was living in the neighbourhood of murdered Perth woman Pamela Lawrence. With no money, low self-esteem and suffering from a bi-polar disorder, he was passing himself off as an undercover cop and smoking marijuana obtained from the proceeds of petty theft.

After the murder the police brought Andrew in for a total of 12 hours of questioning and claim he confessed. Something Andrew has always denied. He was successfully prosecuted on the strength of this so-called ‘confession’ – handwritten notes in detectives’ notepads, plus a bizarre 20-minute interview in which Andrew often gives a third-person “theory” about how the crime may have been committed. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for wilful murder.

Andrew’s family and friends work tirelessly to clear his name and get him released. When his heartbroken father Roy dies of cancer, it is left to his ageing mother Grace and feisty sister Jacqui to continue the rescue effort. Along the way they enlist a colourful array of supporters; investigative journalist Colleen Egan, maverick MP John Quigley and QC Malcolm McCusker, all of whom work unpaid to try and prove Andrew’s innocence.

Piece by piece, the defence team expose cracks in the original prosecution’s case. They discover evidence was not disclosed by both police and the Western Australian Director of Public Prosecutions at Andrew’s trial and witness statements were changed. Finally an appeal at the Supreme Court of Western Australia is allowed. With what Andrew’s support team considers to be a convincing case, they are shattered when the appeal fails.

The emotional roller coaster takes a terrible toll on Grace and Jacqui as their hopes are raised and dashed. Andrew meanwhile, writes and ‘speaks’ frankly from prison. Over the decade of incarceration, his commentary reveals a person transforming in maturity from a ‘drop-out’ to someone he hopes his beloved father ‘would be proud of’.

The tenacious support team push on undeterred, demonstrating an unflinching resolve to see justice eventually done.
The case finally reaches the High Court of Australia in Canberra, far away from Perth and 11 years later, in a unanimous decision, the Judges quash Andrew’s conviction and order a retrial because of undisclosed evidence and the fact Andrew did not have a fair trial.

Three months later, Andrew’s charges are dropped by the Western Australian Director of Prosecutions when he announces that there is insufficient evidence to secure a conviction at a retrial, and Andrew finally walks free.
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FURTHER INFORMATION:
Western Australia’s Corruption and Crimes Commission is currently investigating the conduct of the investigating officers and prosecutors involved in Andrew Mallard’s case.